Tear Drops Will Kiss the Morning Dew
by angelologist
Summary: Romance, romance romance! What will you do? Imagine, the mountains of North Carolina, snow, foodfights and tons of fluffy romance between not only our favorite couple but a few other CSI's as well. But of course, mainly GSR! duh.
1. Chapters 1 to 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI, (sadly) or any of the characters. Though I would like to go on a date with Billy Petersen, I know that will not happen (sadly again.) **

**Thanks: Thank you, to the author of "Love In the Dark," I read your story in my Algebra class and started laughing. It made my day. I really appreciate it. Thank you so very much. You inspired me. Also, thanks to my friend Catherine, who doesn't want Sara and Grissom together, but is going to kill me if I don't continue writing my stories. She gets my butt in gear. Thank you Alexis, for inspiring me with fanfiction ideas even though you're not aware of it, and thank you Jorja Fox, for being my role model and favorite actress.**

**Thanks.**

"**Tear Drops Will Kiss the Morning Dew"**

**Prolouge**

The air was a musty feel. I found myself short of breath just trying to trudge my overly exhausted self into the chilling building. My hair was a little frizzy. At least the humidity was cutting down a little. I wanted ever so badly to go home and sit on the couch in front of the tv and sleep. My head felt clouded and my nose burned. I was catching a cold. I could just feel it. I was saying "Go! Go!", when my body was saying "Slow down!"

My stomach was in knots. Twisting snakes grinding their bodies against the wall of my stomach. It was sickening. I knew the source of this situation. My boss.

There was nothing I had against my boss at all. No. Not at all. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly. But whenever I saw him, I would feel a warm spreading sensation over my face. I would start sweating and when his eyes would meet mine, I'd dart them away as fast as humanly possible.

If anything I would try to look at something non-living. Which might I add isn't that hard of a task when it comes to my job.

**Chapter One: Tonight I'll Be Lonely Too**

Sara Sidle was nervously tucking her hair behind her ears. Deep within herself she felt nervous. Her temples revealing tiny bead of sweat. Her forehead shimmering with the small amount of light that the crime lab provided. The almost utter silence was slightly creepy. Goosebumps littered her skin and she tried to rub them away.

Gil Grissom's face appeared in her head. His boyishly handsome features, ice cold blue eyes that froze perpetrators of crimes, but melted the heart of the young criminalist, Sara Sidle.

She could see him in her mind. Leaning against the doorway, his smile melting her smile away. His blue eyes penetrating her chocolate brown ones. Her face began to heat up with the intensity of a blazing forest.

She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, black boots, and a black tank. Her hair straightened today. Falling just enough to wisp her shoulders.

She was wondering what Grissom was wearing today. Possibly the same thing from last shift if he was pulling a double.

"Sara!" The voice thundered through her head and erased her fluffy thoughts of her boss. "Sara. Ecklie is calling all of us to his office now!"

Her thoughts left her. Her heart skipped a few beats, and the only thing that stood between her and Grissom for that few moments was a few inches of air.

"O...Ok." Was all that passed her lips. And then he left her. Her heart bounding in her chest. She was left breathless with surprise.

Following him came the rest of the gang:

Nick flashed her a dimpled smile while he munched on his apple. Then came Warrick who greeted her with a "Hey Sar." Catherine was in what seemed a good mood. For once at least. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she was wearing mechanics' clothing. Probably working in the garage, Sara figured. _Where was Greg?_ She thought. There were muffled footsteps behind her. The sound of rubber against tile that created a 'squeaky'

sound. His arms came around her and he enveloped her in a big bear hug.

"Sara! You're back!" He exclaimed in an irregular voice that resembled a young overly caffeine fed child. "Greg, I was here yesterday. And the night after that and the night after that. I haven't been gone." His face grew enormously red. Sara for a moment, fought the urge to slap him to the ground. Just for a moment though.

"I know," He replied. "but I missed you! I never see you." Sara returned this comment with a sarcastic grin. "Greg-" But she was cut off by the golden highlighted man. "Ya, I know, but that was life forever ago."

The silver metal clipboard in his arms was thrust into he arms by Greg. She held the clipboard to her chest and nodded. "Yes. Yes. I understand Greg, but I saw you less than 6 hours ago. Since when is 6 hours 'forever?'

"Since I met you." He flashed her a boyish grin, similar to Grissom's.

She had begun to walk away to Ecklie's office when Greg caught her arm.

"Wait! I uh, wanted to ask you. Uh, if you're not doing anything tonight would you uh..." Sara looked down at her feet and sighed a humorous laugh. "Greg. You know I would. I would really, but, I have to work. And Grissom told me that we had to go meet with Ecklie about something we had to do. I don't know." With that she began to walk backwards to Ecklie's office. "O, Ok. I see. You can't blame a guy for trying can ya?"

He called to her. But she was already gone.

"You all have been called here today on account on something that I am very unhappy about." Everyone took a large breath of air in.

"For the next 7 days, you all will be flying to a remote Forensics conference in western North Carolina."

Smiles and whispers passed throughout the room. Warrick laughed and stood up saying, "Yes! Overtime is finally coming in handy!" Catherine swapped a few appropriate words to Sara. The room interrupted in low hum as everyone grew suddenly excited. "Hey! Hey!" Ecklie's piercing voice interrupted the conversation and everyone fell silent. His hand was held up in a silent manner. "Please, let me finish. I will give you the details about-What do you want Sara?" Sara's hand was raised and she felt like an elementary school student again. "Yes. I uh, wanted to say, that I don't want to go. There is to much work to be done here." Ecklie's face portrayed what he was about to say. He gave a dramatic pause that didn't seem very dramatic for Ecklie. Everyone gaped at Sara in a shocked manner except Grissom.

His ice cold blue eyes stared at her intently as he drank in her features. He wasn't the least surprised by her sudden action. He was actually counting down the seconds before she would respond to this. He pursed his lips and fiddled with his pen on the table in front of him. "Sara." She turned to him and their eyes met. Her chocolate eyes penetrated his own for a moment and he felt as if he had turned into a liquid and slopped onto the floor. "It's mandatory. So it's not like a vacation. You're safe." Her smile melted his heart and gave him delightful butterflies in his stomach.

From not far away, Greg Sanders watched Sara's every action.

Sara nodded to Grissom's statement. This was work. Not a vacation. She was safe.

"Now, if you're unimportant conversations are over I may begin. You all will be staying in the 'Lily Oaks Manor' in Cullowee."

Greg raised is hand, grinning ear to ear with excitement. Some say it's telepathy, others say common sense, but Grissom knew exactly what Greg was going to ask and how to respond. Grissom's reaction seemed sickly. He was now holding his head up with his right hand and he looked overly tired. Possibly sick. "Yes Greg. The side with the mountains." Greg's hand fell down and he flashed an embaressed grin. Ecklie was about to continue when Greg's hand darted into the air again. "Yes Greg. It's a mansion." Greg's hand fell down once more as Grissom responded. Then it rose once more. Grissom sighed. "No, you cannot sleep in the same bedroom with Sara. Sorry." The lab rat's head fell and he turned crimson. "NOW," Ecklie began. He cleared his throat and then continued. "It is a mansion. Rooms will be for two. You'll pair up however you want to-

"Yes!" Greg cheered and he glanced at Sara. "NO GREG!" Grissom nearly shouted. Becoming agitated, Ecklie cleared his throat signaling attention. "You got something in your throat?"Grissom remarked in an inappropriate tone. "As I was SAYING, the flight will leave tomorrow at 9:45 a.m. You shall be prompt. If you miss the flight, I'll have Grissom put you all on decomp for the next two months! Also," His voice was punishing. "You'll have to pick each of you all up in 2 Tahoes. That's all you get!" Everyone stood up from their chairs preparing their exit. "All we need is two Tahoes." Catherine said. Ecklie signaled everyone to leave.

"Ok. Whose going to pick who, up?" Nick asked chucking his apple core into the trash can. The team stood in a circle. "I'll pick up Sara and Nick, Cath, if you pick up Greg, and Warrick." Grissom stated. "Sure, fine with me." Greg seemed slowly out spirited by this, but he regained his enthusiasim as he thought about his 7 day trip with Sara.

Sara blushed at the thought of Grissom picking her up.

Everyone parted to start their shifts. "I'll see you then Sara." And he left her. Left her wondering. Wonder what was going on in that man's head.

When Sara came home to her apartment, she grabbed a bottle of apple juice from the fridge and sat at the table. Across from her was an empty chair.

Grissom was also doing the same but with orange juice. He stared at the empty chair beside him.

Sara thought to herself about him. He was alone.

Then in a whisper she said to him rather to the lonliness of the room. "Tonight, I'll be lonely too."

**Chapter 2: Butterfly Kisses**

Sara wanted to sleep in. She couldn't though. Because she knew before long, the punishing, hammering sound of knocking would break her from sleep. She shuffled to the kitchen, wandering for nourishment. Sweet and sour rice, more sour than sweet, some moldy lettuce, rotten grapes, out dated soy milk, and one more bottle of orange juice. She settled for some orange juice. It was bitter and tangy. She puckered her lips, but continued drinking. She was out of food.

Sara pulled her hair up into a low ponytail and then clipped it up with a single butterfly clip. She gazed into the mirror, analyzing her features. Dark rings encircled her eyes. Her face felt hot and sticky. Not only her face, but her whole body. It was an awful feeling. She slipped out of her pajamas, wrapping a single maroon fluffy towel around her body.

She started the shower, but then shut it off when there was a knock at the door. She slipped out of her towel and wrapped a silk robe around her lanky frame and answered the door. She peered through the door, taken aback when she discovered it to be Grissom. After all, she wasn't wearing anything except a silk robe.

The door coughed open. "Grissom? What are you doing here?"

_Grissom wrapped his arms around her body engulfing her into a hug and a kiss that nearly knocked her off her feet. His lips to hers were overwhelming. He was such a good kisser. She could feel tears falling from his face onto hers as he confessed his love to her. "I love you Sara. I always have. My social skills have never been good. You know that."_

_He brushed a lock of hair from her face and kissed her once more. "Sara?" He asked his blue eyes dreamy. "Yes Gil?" Her eyes were welling up with tears. "Sara, will you mar-_

"SARA!" Her eyes flickered open. "Sara? Are you ok? Breathe. Breathe."

Her face was flushed and she felt hot and sticky. Her body lay on something freezing cold. Grissom was hovering above her. "Oh, Gil. I do. I do!" His eyes were filled with confusion. "You do?" He asked. "Yes Gil. I do, I-

"Sara. You passed out on the kitchen floor. I came to your door and I heard a loud bang and I came in." Sara's eyes wandered beside her. The orange juice bottle was in shards all over the floor with orange liquid everywhere.

"Oh, my God!" She jumped up to quickly for the blood flow to come back to her brain and she stumbled backwards. Her body collided with something warm behind her. "Whoa. Be careful!" Grissom caught her and she was suddenly flushed in crimson red. For a second there was nothing. It was just Sara. Sara and Grissom. Together. His skin turned an unhealthy shade of milk. She pulled herself from his grasp and bent down to pick up the shards of glass. There was a warm sensation that engulfed her finger. Blood ran down her finger over her wrist. "Oh, no. Look what you've done. How can you be so careless. You need to think Sara."

The flesh wound was very deep. Deep enough for stitches. She held her injured hand in her other. Falling into a daze as she stared at her gash. There was now a pool of blood in her hand. Grissom suddenly became throughly concerned. His hand held hers and he placed a pudgy finger over her gash. "Damn." He whispered. "Bandaids?" He asked. He caught her off guard. "Oh, uh, left cabinet." He retrieved them and sorted through them until he found what he was looking for. A butterfly bandage.

He tenderly dressed her finger with the bandage after washing and rinsing it throughly. "Sanitization is the key to being healthy." He whispered as she growled through gritted teeth as her finger stung like a thousand knives. She would always remember him spending time to put pressure with a wet paper towel on her finger to stop the excessive bleeding.

She would always remember his soothing touch on her finger as he smoothed the bandage on her finger. Her pain left her finger as he touched her. Then she looked at her bandaged index finger, and stared at it.

Then as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he took her finger to his lips and kissed it. "There. A kiss to make it better. A butterfly kiss..."

**Chapter Four: Why Are You About To Kiss Me?**

Grissom was kind enough to help her up into the Tahoe, which might I add is a challenge in itself. He helped her up giving her his hand that was surprisingly soft instead of course. She thanked him, but it didn't stop there. She guessed an injured cut finger was serious enough to require more than just 'helping into a car.' He pulled her seat belt far out and leaned across her to securely buckle her in. Their sudden closeness was enough to make her blush. He was emotionless though. As if his 'butterfly kiss' hadn't even happened in the first place.

The drive to pick up Nick, she asked him if she could turn on some soft music. She chose the Josh Groban song, "Caruso." Josh's voice filled her up with mental pleasure. Suddenly her face heated up like a thousand furnaces and her eyes welled up with tears when she thought back to the previous 10 minutes ago. Grissom had kissed her. He'd really kissed her! Ok, so it wasn't remotely near her lips or cheek for that matter, but he HAD kissed her finger. A question was etched in her mind and she fought the urge to blurt it out, make Grissom pull of on the side of the road and kiss him on the lips to make everything final. She was exhausting herself. The loss of blood had left her weak, breathless and lightheaded. Sort of the same way she felt around Griss. Her head bounced around as he drove smoothly. She was suddenly sleepy and it felt as if a weight was dragging her head down to the floor. Her head fell to her left, landing square on Grissom's shoulder.

"Sara? Sara!" He veered off onto a grassy ditch and checked her vital signs. Her pulse was very weak and her breathing was shallow.

"Sara! Stay with me!" He shouted unbuckling his seat belt and undoing hers. He leaned back her chair and began checking her pulse once more.

Unscrewing a bottle of orange juice that she had brought along her placed into the cup holder. Drinking this might make her drown while she was unconcious.

He stared at her lips and his face became flushed. Would this mean kissing?

Their lips would meet and air would be forced into her lungs by his lungs, would that be kissing? His oceanic blue orbs watered and he fought back tears. He was losing her. Placing his left hand on her cheek he leaned in closer, her breath could be barely felt from her opened mouth. He leaned even closer, closing his eyes.

Closing eyes? This was a kiss wasn't it? Kissing involved eyes closed. So he fought the urge to shut them. It was the strongest urge he had ever fought in his life. His beard tickled her face.

Her vision was blurry, but her future was plainly in front of her eyes.

_Why is Grissom going to kiss me?_

_WHY ON EARTH IS GRISSOM GOING TO KISS ME!_

He was puckered up and his eyes were closed. Just as his lips skimmed the tops of hers, she whispered, "Grissom?"

He was taken aback and he nearly fell out of his seat.

"Sara! I am so sorry! I didn't- I mean...I wasn't trying to..."

"Why are you trying to kiss me?" She asked sitting up right and becoming increasingly dumbfounded.

"I wasn't trying to kiss you. I was about to perform CPR. You passed out. I wasn't about to lose you-"

He stopped himself. To much had come out. "What I meant was..."

Sara smiled and said in a flirting way, "You don't know what you meant to do?"

His mouth was opened and he stared at her unblinkingly.

"You don't understand anything right now. Maybe, if we take this conference work thing, you'll be able to figure out what you mean."

His smile was all she needed for his agreement.

There was no more conversation between the two, even when they had picked up Nick and had gone through baggage check, they didn't say a word. Sara wasn't scared to speak, but Grissom was. His feelings were a tangle of something that he couldn't find tangible.

What was this odd feeling he got when he was around her. The feeling that churned his stomach and gave him this sort of security, then another sense of insecurity that made him flush. He didn't know much about how he felt, except when a certain lab tech glanced her way and offered her his hand, or to throw her trash away, or to put her luggage up in the over top bins, his stomach would knot up and the whole feeling of security would be turned around into insecurity. The whole level of not caring had been twisted up then torn into millions of tiny pieces.

**Chapter Five: Fly Away**

Grissom chose to sit close to Sara. Her seat was against the window, then it was Grissom, and then Greg. That's what the ticket had said. But when Grissom had finally squeezed his way to his seat, Greg filled it and he was whispering to Sara. "Greg," Grissom began holding back his frustration. "that's my seat." Greg smiled. "Ya, but I wanna sit here." He scoffed back. "It doesn't matter where you sit as long as you sit in your row."

Grissom was becoming throughly agitated now. He took the seat by Greg and tried not to listen to Greg's conversation with Sara.

She looked sleepy. Something about this was sexy to Grissom. How Greg's story was apparently boring her to death, her eyes would half close and then open again. She yawned countless times, and every time her head would grow heavy she would hold it up with her hand. On of her delicate hands lay in her lap. The one with the injured finger...

_That's the one I kissed. Why did I kiss her? Her finger was injured. I bandaged it and then held it to my lips, where I kissed it. I even called it a butterfly kiss. What's wrong with me? She seems so happy with Greg. Why should I part them? _

_My stomach becomes queasy when I think about her. Her and Greg, together..._

He head became heavy and the sudden weight of lift off made him lathargic. It wasn't long before he was asleep, on his way to another state, another place, with mountains and brilliant gardens that were in bloom. He dreamt of this, and the place he would be staying with Sara.

Rooms for two? How would this work out? Would she stay with Greg? Or would she happen to choose to stay with him? All these questions pushed Grissom into a deep sleep.

An hour later Grissom awoke. He jumped up almost out of his seat when he noticed he was laying on Greg's shoulder. He brushed himself off and studied the awful image that lay before him. Greg was laying on Sara's shoulder and she was laying against the window.

He glanced around the plane, to see Catherine laying on Warrick's chest with her arm wrapped around his torso. Nick was laying asleep next to Brass.

"Grissom...Griss?" Gil turned to Greg. "Yes, Greg?"

"Uh, I have to go to the bathroom, can you move out for a sec?"

Grissom's evil mind was already in motion, and for a second he wasn't going to let Greg out.

"You can wait until we touch down in Colorado." He stated firmly.

"No. I can't wait." Greg scoffed back. Greg sensed that Grissom wasn't going to budge, so he sat back down. An hour later, Sara awoke to find Greg with this legs crossed and he was very pale, and holding his breath.

He didn't look so well. Neither did Sara. Her face was a hint of green, and she looked as if she was going to throw up. "You, don't look so good, Sara whispered. "Neither do you." Sara replied.

"Can I go to the bathroom now?" Greg questioned.

"Wait, you're not letting him go to the bathroom?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Cause."

"Cause why?"

"Because he's acting like a baby."

"He's not a baby!"

"Yes. He is."

Greg had been listening to the conversation, and looked as if he was about to give birth.

"Not to cut your wonderful conversation short, but can I go pee now?"

He was rocking back and forth.

"Shut up Greg!

"Don't tell him to shut up, Grissom!" Sara shouted.

"Got...to...pee!" Greg stammered through gritted teeth.

"Fine, go!" Grissom gave in, letting Greg up. Greg jumped and hobbled on his way to the bathroom. Sara shot Grissom a death glare.

"You're an idiot." She said. "Not as bad as you." He replied harshly.

She sighed and then leaned against he plane window.

Grissom watched her intently, discovering something was wrong with her.

"You ok?" He asked in a low, husky whisper that made a shiver go down her spine.

"Uh, huh."

"Liar."

"OK. So I haven't been feeling good since that accident this morning."

Grissom shifted into Greg's seat and nestled in next to her, putting down the armrest. "Greg's not going to be to happy about this." She stated.

From a small distance, Sara and Grissom could hear the distant cry of happiness of Greg relieving himself. "Greg's gonna be a while." Grissom returned.

Sara smiled as Grissom reached in the overtop bins for two blankets. But only found one. "We'll have to share." He implied.

"I don't mind. But I never intended on getting under the same covers as you, Grissom." She said flirting. She watched as red seemed to creep onto his cheeks.

He threw the blanket over the both of them.

"Gris...Grissom?" She called. "Yes?"

"Would, I know that this isn't YOU, but we ARE in a different state now. Let's put all our normal personalities aside and try to find out 'what to do about this.'"

Grissom nodded with a silent agreement.

He laid his head back and began to drift off into sleep. Sara didn't want to disturb him, so she laid her head against the window and fell asleep. She had felt the sudden weight of gravity, but hadn't predicted what it would have made her do.

When Sara awoke she felt her head on something rather soft and comforting. It was warm and she snuggled closer to the warmth. Burrowing her head into the thick warmness that portrayed a scent of it's own.

God it smelled good.

Not a scent of cologne or something of that sort, but a scent of a personal scent that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It was a person, she knew, and she snuggled closer to the person.

There was a sense of comfort and at the same time, angst.

She looked up at the person, her vision blurry.

She couldn't see. Snuggling closer, she embedded her face into the persons shoulder. Whoever it was, was very comfy to lay on.

Her face was stroked, this was very comforting. As she opened her eyes once more, she nearly fell out of her seat.

Crash.

"Ahhhhhh! What are you doing." Sara screamed.

"Comforting you." Jim Brass soothed. "You were talking in your sleep about death. It was so scary that you scared Greg and Grissom away. Can you believe it? You actually scared Grissom! You should be honored."

Sara blinked and sat upright in her seat.

"So, I was laying on you?"

He nodded.

"Ewwwwwwwwww..." She said under her breath.

"Better sit up right." Brass commented.

"Why?"

"We're landing."

**Chapter Six: Fly Away Part:2**

They were given one Tahoe. Which was big enough to fit all of them. And then their luggage. Greg insisted on sitting with Sara in the back, but she chose to sit with the driver. Grissom. He hadn't spoken to her about her sleep talking, and she didn't want to say anything about it. So they were squared.

The drive to Lily Oaks Manor, was beautiful. There were mountains everywhere, and as they had stepped off the plane, there was a very vivid scent in the air.

A sweet smell. Almost as if it was hay and maple. It was delicious to take in. And the whole group breathed the wonderful scents of the mountain air in. A nip was in the air. Luckly, the whole group had dressed warm. All of them dressing in layers.

Sara liked how everyone's noses', cheeks', and ears' had become rosy pink.

Now they were all loaded into the Tahoe and on their way to gigantic mansion.

Nick, Catherine, Warrick, Brass, Grissom, Greg, and Sara were all trying to absorb the scenery and smells. "Whose hungry?" Catherine called out, squished between Warrick and Nick. "Me!" Greg raised his hand.

Warrick placed a hand on his stomach. "Craker Jacks don't hold you off for to long."

Nick placed a firm hand on his stomach as well. "I'm not sure about you guys, but I'm itching for some home BBQ."

Everyone agreed. Sara, being a vegetarian, decided not to be to picky. Besides, seafood was one of her favorite dishes. Seafood could suffer. Today at least.

"You know what I'm itching for?" Grissom warmed the conversation.

"Some rainbow trout." He licked his lips.

Everyone burst out in laughter. For who could have known, that Grissom actually was thrilled about something as this.

"Start lookin' for signs." Grissom said.

Greg drew pictures on the window. Frost had covered the windows and Greg was using it for his amusement. "McDonalds!" Greg shouted.

"If that's your idea of a home cooked meal, I don't know what planet you're from." Nick teased. "I was kiddin' Nick." Greg scoffed back.

Nick chuckled.

"Oooooooo! Look! Curly tails! That's a cool place. Let's go there!" Nick must have known a lot about BBQ from back in Texas.

Grissom turned off into the exit.

About 20 minutes later, they had all exited the Tahoe, jacket wrapped tightly around them. "This is soooooooooooo cool!" Grissom said as the team entered.

The people that owned the place, defiantly had a thing with Nascar, because there were posters and cut outs of all the Nascar drivers.

Wooden tables were scattered round and it seemed barren. There was only a couple in the very back, besides them, the place was bare.

The team seated themselves and were given menus.

Sara sat between Grissom and Brass. Sara wasn't sure why Grissom wanted to sit by her all the time now.

The waitress came by to take the orders. She was a squat woman, with red hair, and black thick rimmed glasses that hung down to low on her nose. She had a wart the size of a nickel on her right cheek, and it took all of Greg's courage to not constantly stare at it.

Nick asked what everyone wanted to drink and ordered the drinks on him.

"Ok," The woman cleared her throat. "That's going to be three beers, two root beers, and two sweet ice teas." Nick nodded.

"I'll give ya'll some time to pick what'll want to eat and then I'll be back with your drink orders."

Her voice was raspy, probably because of a pack of cigarettes she kept partially hidden in her apron.

She left and the entire team erupted in conversation.

Each and everyone of them excited and planning each day of their "meeting."

Sara still believed this was for work. Not pleasure.

"Ok, so today, we can check into the Lily Oaks Manor, then get showered, and out of these clothes,- Grissom paused for a moment while Sara blushed.

"But before I continue, there's something we have to tell Sara."

The whole team leaned in closer, their faces' lined with seriousness, all directed toward Sara.

"SURPRISE!" They all cheered.

"What the? What for?"

"We told you it was a meeting..." Catherine cheered.

"But it's really some time for all of us to get away from the office." Grissom added.

Sara wanted to argue, take the redeye midnight flight back to Las Vegas, catch a couple of hours of sleep and go back to work. But something. Something deep in her soul was telling her to stay. So she plastered a gapped tooth smile at everyone and said without a sense of doubt on her mind,"Thanks."

**Chapter Seven: Oh, Atlanta**

Everyone shared something. Warrick, Catherine and Brass all shared the 3 for one steak special, Greg and Nick shared to mega man's triple decker pork sandwich, and Grissom and Sara shared the rainbow trout.

The stout woman came back to the table just in time to fill up Nick and Greg's drinks.

She leaned over the table to fill Greg's drink when he saw it. The wart.

His eyes were transfixed on it. It was there. Ugly and disgusting. And right in the viewing point. The woman caught him and shot him a stare, before leaving to fill her pitcher.

Greg tried to remain inconspicuous the rest of their time there.

They split the bill and all got their drinks to go. Except Brass, Catherine, and Warrick, who all had had beers.

Grissom sipped on his tea and unlocked the car for everyone to pile in.

The drive was filled with colorful conversations. Everyone seemed overly excited to do things here. And they all agreed together, that this was indeed, heaven on Earth.

There was a series of shuffling in the backseat, and the whole team suspected something of Greg. Nick peeked back and there was some mumbling. "One...Two...Three!" Greg and Nick sang out. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Catherine yelped. "Oh, my God! Put them up! Put them up for God's sake!"

Grissom made a sharp turn into a ditch. "What the hell?" Sara bellowed out as she turned around. She turned around just in time to catch a glimpse of Greg and Nick buckling their pants. "You know," Grissom lectured. "If you do that up here, people in other cars will shoot you."

Sara cocked her head. "What on Earth, did they do?"

"Exactly." Warrick said.

"What?"

"You don't wanna know," Catherine said pulling her hair down from the ponytail she'd had it in. Brass, remained inconspicuous, for he was asleep against the window.

Twenty minutes later Greg asked, "Are we there yet?"

"We get there, when we get there!" Grissom rang out. The drive had been peaceful, except for the occasional complaint from Greg.

The windows had been rolled up because of the declining in temperatures. But the view was more enough as entertainment. The trees were changing colors, of brown, red, and orange. The grass was golden honey in color. The smell of hay and maple drifting in from the air conditioner.

The roads were twisting and each time there was a curve everyone would lean on each other.

There was a ten minute silence, and everyone thought that Greg had finally passed out in the backseat. But just as Catherine's eyes closed and her head fell onto Warrick's chest, just as soon as Brass was now dreaming of being the top cop in the all of Las Vegas, just as Nick was dreaming of an elderly lady fixing him an all you can eat BBQ buffet, just as Sara began drifting off into a state of unconciousness, holding onto one of Grissom's straw hat's, just as Grissom fell of into a fitful daydream of sitting on a wooden swing by a creek with the only person he could only imagine, laying in his lap and gazing into his blue pooling orbs- there was the voice that shook all of them.

"I'VE GOTTA PEE!"

Everyone groaned and sat up. It was impossible to sleep now.

"PLEASE LET ME PEE! PULL OVER PULL OVER!"

Grissom sighed. "Here we are."

Everyone had been asleep and hadn't realized the increase in gravity as they climbed Lily Oaks mountain. Or perhaps, maybe the total living conditions of flat as hell Las Vegas had made them fall asleep. Because of the loss in oxygen, they'd all grown lathargic.

"I am totally serious! Pull over or my bladder's going to bust."

"Go see if they're ready for us Cath." Grissom stated ignoring her.

She climbed out of the Tahoe and raced inside.

"Let me out!" Greg pleaded.

Everyone was in silence. "Where is the mansion?" Catherine asked through Grissom's window. Everyone looked forward. The mansion could not be seen. Trees blocked everything. The dirt road in front of them was very dark. The trees almost created an artificial night. "Oooo.. Creepy." Nick commented.

"Guys? Pee, now."

"Get in. I'll drive closer. I thought the mansion was just beyond this sign." He gestured to the wooden sign in front of them.

Catherine hopped in and brushed her hair up into a ponytail.

"You know, anywhere will be fine, just...Let...me..go pee!"

"It should be up here." Nick said.

Everyone was gazing around at the thick wood, trying to find this so called mansion.

Except Brass, who was still in a deep sleep.

"Oh, my God." Grissom whispered.

"Geese Louise." Nick coughed.

Catherine gasped.

Warrick put an arm around Catherine, and Brass snored. Sara stared at the structure in front of her.

"Wow." She whispered.

"Can't...hold...it anymore..."

In front of them was a huge house. Ok. So it wasn't a mansion, but a brilliant house of a faded yellow. It was two stories tall, with a faded blue roof and faded yellow siding. There was a big red door with white trim. A stone wall silo with brilliant flowers of lavender. There were to many windows to count. A wrap around porch with seven wooden chairs.

It seemed as if there was a tower hooked up to the side of the house. There was two chimneys, and smoke was billowing from both of them. On the side, around two windows on the bottom floor were beautiful flowering vines. With flowers of honey gold roses and soft pink tea roses.

To the left was a garden that was not producing any plant of vegetable life. There was a windmill of cast iron in the garden. To the left, a small building that farmers used to put wheat in, and another garden, that was too, not bearing anything. Around all of this was an amount of rolling mountains. Behind the house, almost out of view, was a forest. There was a low overcast of steam and trees bearing what looked like something of blurry pink.

Everyone was in awe.

They all exited the vehicle together. Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Sara, and Grissom all exited without having to shield their eyes from the blinding sun. It was totally covered with trees.

Greg climbed over a sleeping Brass and disappeared somewhere beyond the house. Somewhere behind it, he disappeared into the steamy mist of fog and blurry pink.

Sara erupted in shivers, as Grissom blushed. Maybe it was the golden sunlit rays drifting through the lush colored trees, or the esencse of hay and maple, or maybe it was just the tea roses that gave off their glow. But for some reason, Sara looked more beautiful than ever, her hair was in loose ringlets and the sun on it made it look succulent.

He watched her blink, her brown lashes flickering. "It's beautiful." She whispered spiritually.

"Yes. You are." He said back.

He turned away, rather from sheer embaressment or the awful truth of him finally confronting his feelings, but he turned away and tried to focus his attention on a fawn sipping cool water from a pool of blue water.

**Chapter Eight: The Lily Pond Ghost **

Greg was stopped as he neared the back of the house. "Do not go vac vere!" A french man shouted to him. Greg at this time was holding his crotch in a vulgar manner. "You don't understand man, I got's to go pee!"

And with that, he disappeared. He ran for his life, trying find some privacy in the thickness of the mist to relieve himself. "Ok! But watch out for the Lily Pond Ghost!" He heard the french man yell from afar.

He didn't take time to gaze at the tea roses, he just ran. Faster and faster until he neared a shimmering blue and green pond. There were frogs chirping everywhere and the occasional splashing of fish jumping. Lily pads floated on the surface of the pond.

Greg tried to hide behind a tree, even though there was no one around. He felt, as if, someone was...watching.

But at the moment he didn't care one way or another. He simply undid his belt and pulled down his boxers.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh..." He sighed in pleasure.

Then there it was. He thought he'd dreamt of it at first. The sound of a flute, playing a sweet harmony. Maybe it was a flute. All Greg knew at the time, was someone was with him. He felt a cold sensation brush across his neck

"Thou shall state thy name." A quiet voice commanded. The strange musical sound did not cease. It was almost celestial. The voice was quite feminine.

"Hello?" Greg called out.

For all Greg knew, he was standing in a forest, half exposed, and a woman was somewhere in the forest around him.

Laughter was all around him. He looked to his left to tried to see what was talking to him.

But as he turned to face in front of him, there was two vivid eyes. They were a deep blue of almost violet.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" He screamed and fell backward.

He fell backward and his head hit something rock hard.

Ya, a rock.

When he gazed heavenward, he saw the light sifting through the trees.

His vision was blurry, and as he gazed at his legs he saw a being. The being came into focus.

She, had dark brown hair that could have been mistaken for black, she was dressed in a white gown, and she had several pink tea roses in her hair. She looked to be in her early twenties.

She was standing between his legs. He was spread eagle.

From Greg's vantage point, all he could see was a woman, standing there, between his legs, doing something.

"Hey!" He shouted.

The woman jumped.

"What are you doin?."

She spoke very softly, her words coming out as if silk.

"I am mending thy wounds."

She blinked and for a moment Greg thought he almost faint. Her beauty left him captivated.

And as he focused just on WHAT she was mending, he became uneasy. His stomach churning.

His left leg was soaked in blood. "Wha-

Now Greg Sanders had seen all amounts of decomposition, disfigured bodies, but there was always something about blood that made his stomach churn.

There defiantly was a deep gash in his leg, but the funny thing was, he couldn't feel it. It was almost as if, the pain wasn't there, except for a low throbbing feeling in his leg. Almost the same as if one's leg fell asleep.

"Oh, my God." He stammered as he gulped down bile in his throat.

"Tis the matter?" He was asked. His lips felt chapped, and as he stared at the woman, shivers began running down his spine. He tried to force a playful smile as the woman got closer to him, but it was then he felt a twinge in his lip. He placed a finger to his lips and traced them, to find blood.

"Thy bleed from the mouth as well?" Greg focused his attention on the woman.

"Uh, I'm uh, fine. Thanks."

The woman stretched over him, laying almost on top of him, except for the few inches of air between the two. Her finger stretched to his lips, almost touching them, but barely.

"Hey, hey!" Greg gulped.

The woman leaned back a little before touching his lips. "They are dry."

She jumped up off of him and gracefully walked to the nearby pond. She cupped her hands together and dipped them into the pool, scooping up a handful. And expertly walked to Greg without any water escaping between her fingers. The water was more of a deep blue now, rather than a greenish blue. She dipped one finger into the tiny pool of water and placed it ever so gently to his lips. Immediately, the pain from his lips vanished. She touched his lips once more with a soothing touch that drove Greg wild. Her fingers were soft, and so were his lips, as if made of silk.

"Where am I?" He asked as he peered around at his surroundings. He was growing more comfortable with this woman by the mere second.

She stood up and slowly emptied the rest of the water from her hands onto his wounds from his leg.

"Thorns."

"What?"

"Thorns buried deep into thy flesh. You reside in Lily Oaks Wood."

He nodded.

The blood stain on his pants disappeared completely, as did the pain. He was astounded. What was this witchcraft she was using?

Then, it hit him for a moment, that if criminals used this, blood could possibly be untraceable, and that left him in awe.

She extended a hand and helped him up. She grip was strong and true.

"Thank you. I really, really wanted to thank you for helping me with this." She nodded.

"Your thanks are appreciated." She turned away, her delicate wavy brown hair swaying against her side, and for a moment Greg thought she might leave.

"Wait!" Greg held up a hand.

She turned to look at him. Her almost white skin gave off a delicate glow, and her violet eyes beamed at him. She looked cheerful, but, somewhere deep inside her, he knew there was something defiantly wrong.

"You are very beautiful." There it was, out in the world, the words he'd been holding in.

She very gracefully stepped toward him. Greg was not prepared for what happened next. Nor would he a lifetime from now.

After swinging a pack of arrows to her back, she walked close to him, stared deep into his green eyes and then ever so gently, kissed him on the lips. She opened her eyes to find his closed. That meant that he was accepting her gesture of affection. But then, he came to his senses and pushed her back. "What are you doing?"He said louder than he had intended.

"That's what I see people do all the time that stay in Lily Oaks Manor. Tis not a display of affection?"

He looked oddly puzzled.

"It is, but only for people that have known each other for a long time. I've only met you. And for all I could know, you could be some scavenger, some lunatic out in the woods, or some GHOST, as that french dude put it."

She stepped back, looking very upset. Her eyes filled with tears.

"One knows when one's advances aren't accepted. I am very, truly sorry for my actions."

She began running away into the mist.

"No, I didn't mean-

But she was gone, and Greg's words escaped his silky lips as he tried to find his way back to the Lily Oaks Manor, to analyze what he'd seen in the mist, and to gain comfort with his friends.

**Chapter Nine: Lily Oaks Manor Part One: I Have a Feeling These Are Your's, Sara**

The door to the house was opened up for the group and they piled their way in.

Brass was still left, in the car, snoring peacefully.

"Is anyone gonna wake up the poor guy?" Nick questioned

"Shhhhhhhhhhh...I got an idea." Warrick whispered.

"Where do I put down my bags?" Sara asked playfully to the guy next to her, which in this case, was the french man. "Upstairs madame," He gestured to the stairs in a fluent accent.

"Thanks."

Sara struggled to bring up her suitcases, and since no strong men, like Brass, Nick, Warrick, or Grissom were around, she had to do it the old fashioned way. Which she knew best by.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she was set in awe. It was romantic. Cherry wood dominated every piece of furnature in the hallway. Maroon candles, navy blue candles, white candles, and even a deep violet candle. Sara left her suit cases by the stairs, and figured it was time to do some exploring. She gestured her finger around a tiny flickering flame from one of the maroon candles. Teasing the flame, as if dancing with the devil.

It was romantic. She dipped her finger into the flame and then rubbed off the black charcoal substance on her finger. She pulled back her hair into a low bun with a butterfly clip. It's whearabouts were not known, only that the clip had suddenly appeared in her apartment one day, and was up for the taking.

The rooms were cool from the opened windows, and the white curtains were briskly blowing as the soft breeze entered through the windows. She inspected them for a minute. There was no screen. Burglars could get it, but who would want to get into a room deep in the mountains? She shrugged it off and inspected the room in which she resided more closely.

The bed was possibly a queen or king, it was dressed in delicate satin maroon sheets and fluffy white pillows. The whole room gave off a shadowy effect. Light dancing off the cherry wood furniture. The floors were carpeted in only this bedroom, and it was a dark shade of green. A cast iron candle holder stood about 4 and a ½ feet in the air, by Sara's 5'8 standards. This room was brilliant.

She collapsed onto the sheets, spreading out onto them and taking in their silky feel.

"Meow!"

Sara bolted off the bed, as if she'd been caught doing something wrong.

A black cat sat perched in the window. "Hey." Sara said.

The cat meowed again and jumped from the window and rubbed against her jeaned legs.

A she bent down to pet the cat, it pranced away out into the hallway. She followed it, unsure about what she was doing. It was a black cat, sometimes even considered a dark omen. It came to her suitcases and sniffed them. One knock to the side and they would plummet down the stairs. The cat brushed up against them, as they fell as if almost in slow motion down the stair, creating a 'boom, boom!" sound, until it collided with something.

"Ah!" Yes, defiantly male.

Sara closed her eyes, preparing herself for the worst. She let out a sigh and opened her eyes to catch the most embaressing but hilarious scene she'd ever witnessed in her life.

There in the middle of the stairs stood Grissom. Her suitcase was exposed. All manners of clothing exposed and hanging on him. From underwear, to bras, from pants, to jackets and long sleeved shirts.

She felt as if she was going to die, as she saw Grissom pick up one of her favorite bras and wave it into the air. "I have a feeling that this is your, Sara." She blushed ran down to him, snatching it from his grasp. "Thaaaaaaaaaaat is mine. And," She began whispering ever so closely to his ear. "You don't have to go around waving it like the dang American flag, ok?"

He nodded and she turned around to gather the things that were all draped on the stairs in front of her. "Sara," Grissom called.

"Ya?"

Grissom had one of her shirts and skirt that she'd just bought laying over him.

"I don't think these are my colors." She gasped and snatched them from him.

"Thaaaaanks for finding those." She said in a voice that sounded like 'stop it!'

She flashed her a boyish grin that she couldn't see. "I've never seen you wear a skirt before." He teased.

"I don't particularly wear slinky garments like that." She scoffed back.

He helped her pick up her things. He thought he was helping, but Sara felt as if she was living in hell for the next couple minutes.

She placed her suitcase on the floor at the top of the stairs and turned to face Grissom, to thank him for his unwanted help, when she found her face at his chest. "Oh, sorry I didn't know you were behind me." She apologized as she stepped back from him.

He flashed her another smile. "No problem," then he took her shoulders each in one hand and leaned into her. And for a second, she thought he was going to kiss her. His eyes were a dreamy blue, his whiskers brushed past her face, and she closed her eyes. His voice was by her right ear. "I think you'd look stunning in a skirt." She was left flabbergasted as he pushed her away. "Even if it's almost winter?" She asked.

"Even if it was winter." He whispered in a low sullen tone.

They were just about to leave their separate ways when Greg came bursting though the doors below. "Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys!" He yelled.

Grissom and Sara raced to the foot of the stairs.

Greg burst into the room.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, their's a woman in the forest!"

**Chapter Ten: Lily Oaks Manor Part:2 He's Finally Lost It**

"What did you see?" Warrick and Nick exclaimed at the same time.

"A woman, a very beautiful woman in the woods. I hurt my leg and she healed it, look!"

He rolled up his pants leg, but there was nothing there. That was except a silvery residue that he quickly wiped off his hands.

"Right, and how many beers did you have before we got here?" Warrick asked crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"None." Greg assured.

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"Ya know, I think we should blame Grissom, he didn't let Greggo go to the bathroom, maybe the increase in bladder size cut off the circulation to his brain.

Everyone nodded and chuckled.

"I'm serious." He complained.

"And so are we," Grissom protested.

"We're tired from the trip, no tricks, please." Catherine warned.

And everyone departed to get dressed.

"Dinner will be served at approximately six p.m." the french man exclaimed from the bottom of the stairs.

Everyone was dressing, in somewhere private.

But, for a house that was small for seven CSI's, they were about to find out, that many embarresing moments were headed their way.

**Chapter Eleven: Don't Come in, I'm Naked.**

Everyone had their own private room: Sara chose the room with the green carpet and the bed with the satin sheets to dress in. Warrick dressed in the downstairs bathroom, Catherine chose the upstairs bathroom, Nick, the basement, (he really had not grown up with privacy issues), Grissom one of the upstairs bedrooms, and Greg chose to dress in a small parlor downstairs.

The french man swirled his coffee in his mug as he listened to the only entertainment he gained in his job, screams of shame and embarressment.

It had first begun when Sara walked in on Greg when she went for some tea in the parlor.

He was pulling down his boxers, and she screamed while he innocently half mooned her.

"Accccccccccccccccck!" She yelped. He screamed like a girl and she ran up the stairs trying to erase the awful images from her mind.

Catherine had just washed her face and headed into the basement to explore a little when she caught Nick, completely in the nude, facing her. She yelped and almost died.

Warrick walked in on Sara as she was changing her top, and Brass nearly fell over as he finally trudged up the stairs in a fitful daze and caught sight of Sara running to the bathroom in a towel.

Sara had finally finished dressing, dressed in a jeans and a black long sleeved shirt.

She crept out of her room and tip toed into the hallway, opening up the bathroom door, she caught the sight of Grissom, standing there, Grissom completely and utterly naked.

Just standing there. She cupped her mouth and stole a sight of the south.

"Sara!" He yelled. He'd caught her.

She laughed and said, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, I was in the mood!" He yelled

"What mood?" She giggled.

She laughed and threw a towel at him. She continued. Grissom failed to find the humor of the situation.

"It's not funny Sara!" He pleaded.

"Hey, everyone Grissom's naked!"

Everyone ran to where Sara resided. Catherine blushed and the guys erupted in laughter.

"Go away!" Sara leaned against the door. "Wow, Grissom, wow, you know I see you as the ice cold hearted boss that doesn't care about anything, and now, we see you like this.

"Is that what you're wearing for dinner?" Greg teased.

"Shut up!" He yelled turning crimson.

"Come to dinner like that Grissom, it adds color to your cheeks."

Sara finally shut the door and the whole team chuckled in the hallway.

It was then, Warrick gestured to Nick and they raced up to Greg in the hallway.

"Hey Greggo," Nick started.

"We have a dare for you my man." Warrick said.

**Chapter Twelve: Dinner Is Served**

When dinner was served, everyone was in a fit of conversation, all talking about something that had to do with work. So the conversation was tense.

Everyone was there except Greg. He'd been missing for quite a while now and everyone but Grissom were starting to worry of what had become of their favorite lab rat.

Everyone was dressed comfortably. Catherine wore a red long sleeved shirt and jeans, Warrick wore, his usual attire, Nick the same, and Sara wore her skirt and top. Grissom, though wore, something that no one had ever dreamed of seeing him in.

He was dressed in a tank and jeans.

"You're wearing a tank why?" Catherine asked blinking profusely.

"It's hot in here," He said sitting down in his chair.

"Ya, I bet it is." Nick teased. Everyone erupted in laughter as their food was placed neatly in front of them, from a succulent oven roasted chicken, to creamy buttered mashed potatoes, and corn. There was a bowl of Caeser salad that everyone helped themselves to, more rainbow trout that melted in Sara's mouth as she took each bite of it.

There were fine china dishes that held their food, and the finest silverware anyone had ever seen. Their glasses were filled with tea, cranberry juice, concord grape juice, wine, and even strawberry juice, all made right in the kitchen.

"Can you pass me the salad bowl, Sara?" Grissom asked as he held out his hands.

"No beans and franks?" She joked. Again, everyone laughed. They laughed so hard that Catherine collapsed onto Warrick, and Nick fell out of his chair. Then there was a sound of someone gently descending down the stairs. Everyone composed themselves and directed their attention to the stairs. Down came Greg, dressed in nothing but a dishtowel over him.

Everyone burst into fitful laughter and Nick and Warrick traded glances.

"Oh, my God," Sara choked.

"What in God's name forced you to do this?" Grissom scoffed.

He wasn't laughing. In fact, he hadn't laughed since they'd gotten here. And it surprised Sara and everyone else when they came to the conclusion that they hadn't seen Grissom laugh at all in their lives.

For a time that was so painful and dark, was now warm and full of happiness.

Greg took his seat and adjusted himself to the most comfortable position of sitting bare bottomed on wood.

As he sat up to get some food this buttocks made a loud sticky noise from separating from the chair. As everyone again began laughing, Sara investigated Grissom face.

He wasn't laughing. In fact, it seemed as if he wasn't enjoying himself at all.

His face never once creased with happiness. Throughout dinner, Sara formulated a plan, for Gil Grissom had to laugh, at least once.

When they finished eating, everyone sat together and began striking up the conversation of Grissom's flashing experience.

He remained composed and silent during the conversation. Giving into a wince or so every now and then.

Sara carefully tucked her fork out from under her plate and dipped it into a bowl full of mashed potatoes. "I wanted to say that, in matter of circumstances, I have come up with the conclusion that Grissom never laughs."

His head jerked up toward her from his plate. "What?"

She smiled and continued, "We have never seen you smile Gil."

Did she just call him Gil? She'd never called him Gil before. "I wanted to say that I have taken it into my own hands, to make you laugh."

He smiled a sarcastic smile. "Please Sara, I've already been through an incident today, what possibly could you do now?"

She flashed him a gapped grin and took a leap of faith.

The mashed potatoes flew from her fork as she swung it back. It collided with his face with a sickening. splat.

Everyone was in shock. Surely he would snap now.

She was still smiling, still waiting for it. Waiting for the moment when-

He wiped his face with one hand and stood up from his chair. He looked angry, but Sara was still composed with her grin.

"Whatchya gonna do Miss Griss?" She tormented.

He dipped his hand in the bowl of mashed potatoes. And held it back in his hand as if readying himself for a snowball fight.

"Right..." She teased.

"You don't think I'll do it, do you?" He said. But the seriousness in his face warned her.

"I'm sorry Grissom." She sounded panicked.

"You don't think ahead of time, that's your fault." He said as he walked over to her and she began backing away.

"You know what your fault is Grissom, the time you figure it out, you really could be to late," She lunged a fistful of mashed potatoes at him, nailing him square on top of his head.

"You're going down Sidle," He lunged at her with force nailing her on her shoulder.

The slimy food dripped down her shirt, with an unpleasant feel.

She shuddered. "That's it!" She bounded and then it began. Food began flying across the room. The french man tried to console with them, but the best he could do was move them out into the yard, where the food fight began.

Every combination of food you could imagine was slung from person to person.

Greg ran upstairs to change into some clothes and soon joined the fight.

After a while, everyone was on the cold grass laughing so hard they thought their stomachs would split open.

Grissom and Sara continued their rampage. They disappeared into the garden and into Lily Oaks Wood, were they found themselves seeking shelter behind tea roses.

"Grissom?" Sara called out. She felt suddenly alone and there was a deathly silence in the air. "Hello? I give up. Truce?"

No one responded. Then she heard a crack behind her. But before she could turn around, an arm was wrapped around her waist, and she was lifted into the air. "Ahhhhhh!" She giggled.

Grissom's hand came down to her face as he smeared her face with mashed potatoes and corn. He twirled her around and set her on the ground. She scooped up the glob of mashed potatoes from her face and chased him.

"You know since when I've been interested in beauty?" She asked.

"How long?" He teased.

"Since I met you!" She hit him with the ball of potatoes, he scooped it back up and grabbed some corn from his hair, "You wanna sleep with me?" He asked.

She laughed and almost stummbled over a tree root. "Did you just say what I think you said?" She asked into the night. Their laughter filled the air, and they both fell to the forest floor out of breath, staring up. The stars could barely be seen because of the wooded overhang. The scent of tea roses filled the air, and they breathed it in with a hunger that had not been witnessed in all of their lives. Sara turned toward Grissom, whose body was laying next to hers. He was laying there, his arms over his shoulders now. It really was cold to him. Very cold. He shouldn't have worn the tank. He shook with a chill, but continued staring heavenward.

She watched him, his eyes fluttering open and then closed with the moment making him drunk in ecstasy. She wanted to say something, she wanted to go and wrap him in her arms and kiss him-

but she couldn't, and that urge to do so was building up inside her so much, that she knew that she wasn't going to be able to hold it much longer.

Suddenly, the forest grew deathly still, Grissom pushed himself up off the ground. They both were suddenly hit with the urge to run, far away from where they were. But they didn't move. The tea roses and lush plantlife rustled around them as the wind blew.

"You here that?" Grissom whispered in her ear.

She shook with the feeling of his breath by her. "No." She finally responded.

"Exactly. Run." Was his only reply before grabbing her hand and taking her with an adrenaline rush that Sara had never witnessed before in her life. Was Grissom finally owning up to his feelings? Confronting them after all of this time? Or was he being serious?

Sara gazed behind her as Grissom tugged her in a fast pace. The forest was becoming darker, and then it hit her, that they were running from, _something._

* * *

**Sorry about the cliffie party, I'll write more.**

**Please review! I love reviews! Ya!**

**Thank you, to all who have read so far!**

**-Grissomsblueorbs**


	2. Hope He Didn't See Anything

**Chapter Thirteen: "Hope He Didn't See Anything"**

A shower seemed like something a person from Las Vegas, who was a constant workaholic, that pulled sometimes 28 hour shifts, listened to the police scanner for fun, and dated ugly men, would do. So a shower was erased from her mind, and she settled for a nice calming bath.

The bathroom was dainty and freshening. Christmas was coming up. Actually it was coming up _very_ soon, as if in a week. They would be heading back to Vegas two days after Christmas.

The bathroom was filled with the smell of gingerbread, spices. The bathroom was painted a dark shade of earthly colors. Dark, deep forest green, and brown candles. White alabaster decorated the four legged tub. She'd only witnessed these things on television, so it was an honor to see one in person. On the counter was a basket of little bath things that she'd brought from her bedroom. Each day, one was set on her freshly made bed, and as she inspected all of the things there, she thought about it. There were tea rose scented bath beads, shampoo, body wash, exfoliating masks, (ouch!) And a little puffy thing that Sara soon gave it the name of 'buff puff.' It needed to be buff if it was going to get the grimy mud that had been caked on her skin from her and Grissom's 'romantic' (hardly) walk.

_I'm goin' to splurge! _She thought to herself. Besides, a new basket was placed on her bed everyday, from what the french man had told her, and by her standards, it was free.

She dumped in the tea rose bubbles first, filling the alabaster tub with thick suds that had a slight tint of pink to them. And then the bath beads. Her grandmother used to giver her a single bath bead when ever she used to visit her, she'd never really used them. Didn't really know what they were, only that they were small and filled with a lovely scented liquid that spilled and got all over everything if you squeezed it hard enough.

She struggled to pull off her icky wet clothes and slipped into the bath tub. Before she climbed in, she grabbed an elastic band from her vanity bag and tied her hair up in high bun.

_Perfect._ She groaned in ecstasy as it seemed all her worries were escaping her.

There was just one more thing. Lights. She didn't want to step out of the scalding hot tub, but she had to. Just one more thing to make this situation a bit more _romantic._

She climbed out of the tub and flicked off the lights and turned on the one over the bath tub. It had a dimmer, so she dimmed the lights down very low.

Climbing back in the tub, she sighed again.

It felt so great...

There would be only one thing that would make this perfect...

_If only, if only..._

"I'm lonely." Grissom said to Nick as he stretched in a rocking chair on the porch. Grissom had already showered and was dressed in some cargo pants and a dark navy blue t-shirt on.

"I've noticed." Nick teased. "What time is it?" Grissom asked yawning as Nick to a chair next to him. "A little past eleven."

Grissom nodded and together they watched the downpour fall like the sky was coming down. What was confusing was when the rain stopped, it sounded as if it was still drizzling because of the creek across the road that roared below.

The rocked, and rocked. "So," Nick began.

"What did you and Sara do?" It sounded like a joke.

"What?" He'd caught Grissom off guard. "What did ya'll do up there when you had a,"

He made quotes with his fingers, 'chased each other up the mountain.'

Grissom shook his head. "We didn't DO anything Nicky. We had a food fight, collapsed on the forest floor outta breath-

"Ya I betchya did." Nick scoffed under his breath. Grissom turned his head toward him. "Sorry." Nick apologized.

"Whatchya all doin' out this late?"Warrick asked gruffly. He apparently had passed out on the couch for a couple of hours. "Rockin'." Nick replied.

Warrick joined them and sat beside Grissom's left. Nick on the right. Greg soon joined and took the seat by Warrick.

"Whatchya'll doin'?" He asked scratching his chin.

"Rockin'" They replied together.

Warrick looked suddenly nervous as Catherine walked briskly outside, took a deep breath of mountain air, glanced at Warrick, returned the same gaze and immediately walked back inside.

"What was that all 'bout?" Greg asked. Warrick coughed a few times and cleared his throat.

"Did ya'll-

"No!" Warrick caught onto what Nick was about to say. "No! No. No. I uh, accidentally walked into her as she was gettin' in her pajamas."

Everyone chuckled as Greg stared on.

There was silence and everyone felt the need to talk all of a sudden. "So, does Catherine-

Warrick shot him a death glare. "Fine. Fine. We won't talk about it."

"Where's Brass?" Nick asked suddenly remembering the sleeping detective.

"Passed out on the couch watching Dr. Phil, or Oprah, one." Warrick commented.

Everyone laughed.

"I hate that show." Greg said.

"Me too." Nick added.

"Itsok." Warrick coughed.

Everyone exchanged glances. "What?" Nick choked. "I said it's ok. I mean, they show some pretty decent lookin' gals on there."

Grissom stared of into space.

"You watch it Griss?" Nick asked.

"Ya, sometimes."

Everyone stared at him. "It's a womans' show, why would you watch it. All it's about is how tramatic it was for a movie star to break up with her boyfriend and how she got over it, yadda yadda yadda."

"You should know Sherlock." Nick laughed.

Grissom cleared his throat before speaking. "I like it cause you can get into women's heads and try to figure out what the hell they're thinking and/or plotting against you."

"Example?" Nick asked.

_Don't say it. Don't say it. It'll only add fire to their fuel, oh what the flippin' hell, Go for it Griss! _

"Sara. No matter how hard I try to figure that woman out, I just don't get her. I mean, she takes everything the wrong way, and well..." He slammed a hand down on the arm of his chair and sighed.

"I think I know what's goin' on." Everyone glanced in the direction of who was speaking. Which at the moment was Nick. "You in love with our Sidle?" Warrick took over.

"Nah, I mean no, I mean...I don't know what I mean really." He confessed.

Finally, Gilbert Grissom was etching slowly out of his shell, slowly but surely.

They sought the need to back off from Grissom for a while, to let him breath and digest his feelings, and switched subjects.

Grissom excused himself and went inside to brush his teeth and wash his face before going to sleep. He trudged up to the bathroom. And placed a hand on the knob...

"Ah, forgot my tooth brush," He whispered in the candle lit hallway.

_Just one thing would do this right. One person, who would love her, care for her, and perhaps kiss her... _

_Ahhhh... If only if only..._

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Grissom stood petrified in the bathroom staring down at her. She was mostly hidden by bubbles, but still, this was totally embarrassing.

"I'm...so...sor-

"Get out Grissom! Get out!" She shrieked. Grissom high-tailed it outta there and didn't look back.

Ok. So he had now walked in on her in the nude. But why was he turning red in the face?

Why was he becoming throughly warm? Why did he like that?

But most of all, why did feel suddenly, the "a" word?

_**Attracted.**_


	3. Deeper Than Crying

**Chapter Fourteen: Deeper Than Crying **

_**Attracted. Attracted. Attracted. **_

The words were reeling over and over and over in his head. He sat in his room, in the dark with only a single candle for lighting source.

_**Am I attracted? I mean, this shouldn't be some big ordeal, so I walked in on my coworker. Most guys would turn away, get a beer, and sleep on it. But I can't. I think that with the food fight, the mountain air, the whole sensation of being up here, I'm really starting to fall for-**_

"Grissom!"

Grissom looked like a deer in the headlights. It was Sara...

"You know you could-a knocked." She scolded. She didn't sound at all upset. More enthralled than anything else. "It's freezing in here Griss." She whispered romantically as she guided herself by candlelight to the window, shutting it gently. "Must be at least in the low 40's. Gettin' colder."

Apparently Grissom was taking this more seriously than Sara. She was totally blowing it off.

"Sara?"

"Why is it so dark in here? Is this a light switch, no, guess there's no lights in here..."

"Sara?"

"Yes Grissom?"

"I wanted to apologize," He stood up from his seat and walked to her. She was wrapped in a silky lavender colored bathrobe. Her hair was air dried. Loose ringlets fell down to her shoulders and hugged her neck. To Gil Grissom, this was sexy.

"I wanted to uh, say I'm sorry for what I did, previously. I didn't know..."

Sara raised an eyebrow. **_A confession?_**

"I wanted to say that when I, came in I uh..."

Sara was catching on, maybe, and decided to throw herself out there. "Were you attracted? The words had escaped his lips. He couldn't say them now. No. He couldn't.

"You're attracted, aren't you?" She breathed, placing a hand on the side of his face.

"Na, No. I'm sorry. I wasn't attracted. His face was turning increasingly red. Dark rings encircled his eyes. It had to be after twelve now. "Sara, what I meant was..."

"Shhhhhhhhhhh..." She hushed him. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Again, he hadn't thought about what he meant. She ushered him to the bed behind her. She folded it down and fluffed the pillows. "Come here Grissom." She motioned holding out a hand for him.

_**What on earth is she doing? I'm not taking her advances.**_

But for some strange reason, he took her hand and she laid him down. "Now, listen to me," She said as she tucked him in like a little boy and sat beside his head. "Tomorrow, all of us are going Christmas shopping in downtown Sylva. You're coming whether you like it or not. Hear me?" He nodded and suddenly felt as if he was eight years old again. She was now stroking his hair, brushing back his curly pepper gray locks, just as her mom had done to her when she was a little girl. "You still find out what you mean, ok?" He nodded in reply. She removed his glasses and placed them on the night stand. He was falling asleep now. His eyes closed and she got up from his bedside. But before she left, she kissed his forehead. Still heated from embarrassment. Sara shut the door and exited the room.

Walking to her room she walked to her room and collapsed onto the carpeted floor in sobs.

She was feeling rather sick to her stomach and the thought that Grissom would never find out what he meant, was soon coming into her mind.

_**I want him to love me, cause, I love him...**_

She soon fell asleep on the floor. Crumpled there in a heap with tears streaming down her face in her sleep. She was plagued by deep, horrific nightmares.

But Sara Sidle would never remember.

She would never remember, her body being lifted from the ground, placed in her posh bed, her body being covered up by silky sheets. She wouldn't even remember, the kiss that was applied to her feverish forehead, and the kiss that was stolen to her cheek. And Sara Sidle would never remember how the person of these doings took one last long glance at her before leaving, regretting at what he'd said to her. How he **_had_** known what he meant. When, he was actually holding in his greatest fear. But now, that she was asleep, nobody could see. Nobody could see the actual silvery tears escaping from **_Grissom's blue orbs..._**

_**These chapters are going to be in chunks. So if it says like Chapter 2 on the thing, then that means that there could be a few chapters inside. I don't write long chapters. **_

_**Hope you all like my story so far.**_

_**The reason this is set in the mountains of North Carolina is because, well, first of all it's my favorite place on earth, and I simply love the mountains. Most of where the CSI gang stays and goes I've been to before. **_

_**Like, downtown Sylva, Waynesville, Cullowee, Caney Fork, Dillsburo, and lots of other places. Hope you like it, I'll try and write more! I'm still going and not out of ideas yet.**_

_**Love the reviews...keep them comin' I get so happy when I get them. If any of you have some constructive ideas, I'll be honored to have them. Thanks.**_

_**-grissomsblueorbs**_


	4. Oh, Atlanta

**Chapter Fifteen: Oh, Atlanta**

The weather was defiantly turning colder and colder. It was the CSI's second day in Sylva, North Carolina and everything had gone pretty well. Except if you added in the never before seen tears that had fallen down a certain supervisor's face.

But now everyone was becoming somewhat accustomed to living together. Jim Brass had taken a shot of caffeine that morning and was looking sunny with the 17 hours of sleep he had attained.

That morning, everyone had woken up, eaten breakfast, and dressed themselves. Everyone wore jeans and long sleeved shirts with a sweater and a heavy jacket just in case the temperatures decided to decline even more than they already had. Most of the leaves were blowing off the numerous amount of trees, due to the gusty weather that day.

"Country music! Country!" Nick Stokes turned up the volume as he sat in the driver seat of the Tahoe.

"On my way back to Georgia!" He sang. Grissom, Sara, and Greg were all bunched up together in the seat behind Catherine, the driver, and Nick, the music man.

"On my way back to Georgia!" He sang louder. Sara was freezing, but was thankful for the warm bodies she sat between. Warrick and Brass sat scrunched in the way back.

"...It's the same ol' city, what can I do? I'm falling in love, I'm just an ol' hound dog, roaming' around."

Everyone rolled their eyes.

"I'm comin' back to you one fine day...SARA! Take it away." Nick shouted above the music.

She sighed but figured, What the heck...

"On my way back to Georgia...on my way, back to Georrrrrrrrrggggggggia!" She say. Her voice sounded like silk, and Gil Grissom's attention was forced out he window. But he listened intently, becoming intoxicated by her every note.

"Same old place, it's the same ol' city, what can I do? I'm fallin' in love, I'm just an ol' hound dog, roamin' around, oh lord, I've got all this and heaven above..."

She wandered off, giving her voice a rest. Then continued.

"...ain't no hurry."

She stopped and then started again.

"Well, Atlanta, hear me callin' I'm coming back to you one fine day, Oh, no need to worry..."

The song soon ended and everyone broke out in applause. She turned to Grissom, to find him gazing out the window. He did not give her any congrats, but just stared. She watched him and then let her head droop down. "Grissom, Gris!" Catherine called, noticing Sara's expression through her mirror. "Ya?" He replied.

"Wasn't Sara's voice just amazing?" She asked.

Her eyebrows were so high, Sara thought for a moment they would just fly away.

"Uh, ya," He turned to Sara. "You were great. Really, great."

They were put into a low hum of conversation until Warrick broke it.

"We're we goin'?" He'd attained some southern accent already. "Downtown Sylva, and then possibly Waynesville if we have time." Nick took over. Nick had visited this place a few times before.

"Ya, we'll shop around for Christmas presents and then get some lunch at this cute little place I saw called uh, 'Grandma's Barn." Everyone nodded in agreement.

This truly was going to be great.

When they arrived they noticed that Downtown Sylva was all closed down.

"What's up with that?" Greg asked, peering out the window. Nick nodded and confirmed his suspicion. "Sunday. Everyone's gone."

Sighs followed as everyone's spirits were gone. Nick picked them back up. "Wait, I remember now, there was this place further up the road called, Dillsburo. It has shops, and fudge shops, it's a little village. We can go there."

Everyone was picked back up. "Show me where." Catherine said.

Everyone clambered out of the Tahoe and sighed in the cool mountain air. This was great. They could shop and be merry.

"Ok. We have to figure out on how we're goin' to shop." Grissom began. "Greg, may I see your hat?" Greg sacrificed his hat to Grissoms hands. He took a ball of crumpled paper out of his pocket and wrote something on it and shredded them into bits and dumped them into Greg's hat. They were playing 'Secret Santa.'

Everyone drew a piece of paper, reading them, they chuckled together.

This is how they'd drawn them:

**Sorry but I messed up a lot. I wasn't supposed to show certain things on this. It's so confusing on how to post stories up on here. So, I ended up losing the continuing chapter to this and I messed up putting the same chapter on twice. So I fixed it and found the continuing part of this chapter. So I can retype it. Hope you all like my story. Thank you! Kisses and Hugs, and pumpkins! It's almost Halloween!**

**Oh, and I'm not going to reveal who everyone got on Secret Santa. Shhhhhhh...it's a secret that will be found out in the near future.**


	5. The Secret of Catherine and Warrick

**Chapter Sixteen: The Secret of Catherine Willows and Warrrick Brown**

"Everyone satisfied with who they got?" Grissom asked. Everyone nodded. "Great. Good. Now. I guess we should go shopping.

Catherine and Sara took off together to begin searching for their gifts. There were cute little shops everywhere. They had little wooden contraptions and wooden ducks. "Come here," Catherine squeaked. She attacked Sara's hair with force. "Ow, ow! What are you doing?" She asked in pain. "Making you cute for shopping." Catherine replied. Sara's hair was pulled into two braids on either sides of her head. They fell over her shoulders. "Cute." She finalized, stepping back and inspecting her work.

They walked briskly into a small store that was decorated with mistletoe and red ribbons on the inside and outside. Inside the smell of pine and oak drifted toward them. There were scented candles and wooden ducks and toys everywhere. A pudgy woman sat behind a wooden desk reading the newspaper and smoking a cigarette. "Now. This is what I need for Linsdey's room." She picked up a light pink candle that smelled of rosemary. "Pink can go with Tink." Sara looked puzzled. "Pink with Tink?" Catherine nodded. "Ya, her new theme for her room is Tinkerbell."

They walked gently around the shop, the wood creaking under their feet. "Oh, kay," Catherine began. "What do you think I should get him for Christmas?" She pondered it and stared off at Sara. "So, Miss Sidle, what do you plan on getting _him _for Christmas?"

They exited the tiny shop together and found themselves in an apparel shop. "I odn't know. I mean I have to get him SOMETHING. And...I don't know..."

Catherine picked up some lingerie from a nearby stand, "I know what you can get him." She motioned the clothing in front of Sara's face waving it around. Sara pushed her hand down.

"Catherine!"

"What?"

"I can't. It's not like that between he and me.." She sighed and took a blue shirt that read 'Cowgal' with dark blue letters off the stand.

"What do you mean, it's not like that between you and him?"

Sara shook her head.

"I mean, he and I aren't _like that._ He's got a job, and he doesn't love me."

Catherine shook her head this time and took the shirt out of Sara's hands and thrust it back on the rack. "What do you mean, Sara? He's in love with you. He loves the way you smell, he loves your hair, he loves that gap you have when you smile..."

Sara gazed at her appearance. "A gap? Oh. That's so terrible, I..."

"Don't worry. From what I heard. He thinks it's sexy. They left the store, not finding anything worth getting for their Secret Santa people. Catherine put her hair up in a ponytail and then clipped it up with a blue clip.

"I don't know what I need to do. I mean,"

"You love the man?" Catherine asked in a southern twang.

She caught Sara off guard. "What?" Catherine gave her a hard stare. "Do you love HIM?"

Sara took a moment staring off into space as they cut between two shops, surrounded by a magnificent garden. "I...dunno." She trailed off and sat on a wooden bench. It seemed as if the people here built everything out of wood. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I...One minute I'm in love, the other- It's like I have the flu."

Catherine sat next to her and placed a hand on Sara's knee. "Honey, it's love, trust me, I've HAD the flu."

"You really think it's love?" Sara asked mopping up her face.

"Honey, I don't think. That's what my problem is. But you, you think all the time. Your problem is, you need to stop thinkin' so much., let your heart do all the talkin'."

Sara nodded in reply.

Catherine glanced around. There was silence. A bush rustled. "Hear that?" Catherine stood up and walked around. "Hear what?" Sara asked standing up. Catherine walked around on the brick pathway. "I swear I heard-

But before Catherine could finish, she was swept off her feet by a shadowy figure.

Warrick.

He wrapped a muscular arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. Resulting in Catherine giving out a yelp.

"Gotchya!" He said. He nuzzled her neck. "Been lookin' for ya. Now, that we're alone, we can go over to this little place I saw back there and..."

"Warrick?" Catherine interrupter him.

"There's a lot of privacy and..."

"Warrick sweetie?" His eyes got big.

"Yes Cath?"

She pointed to the lanky frame behind them, Sara.

Warrick caught sight of her and jumped. "Oh, Sara, hi. Ummm, I didn't know that you-

Sara burst out in laughter. "I can't believe this, you two are a couple!"

They hushed her. "That's all we need," Sara whispered. "Ya, Grissom seperating us on cases is the LAST thing WE want." Catherine finished.

Sara stopped laughing and more tears rolled down her cheeks. "Oh, honey, you'll get him. Trust me, you'll break that ice over his heart." Catherine twitched a smile. "Ya, there's a warm heart under there somewhere." He watched her wipe away tears.

"Come here Sar, I know what will make you feel better. He led them to a quaint little shop

Sara opened the door to discover what she valued most as a pick-me-up.

_Fudge._

**Chapter Seventeen: Romantic Confections**

Sara was in awe at the sight that lay before her. Never in her life had she witnessed so much sugar in one place. It was a candy shop. Before her on not only white washed shelves, but wooden barrels, sat tons and tons of any tiny or large confections you could think of. They weren't the usual Reeses or Milky Ways, they were the old fashioned candies.

Rock candies of lemon, grape, blueberry, and cherry, mouth watering giant sized lollipops, larger than life, and smaller than life jawbreakers, tiny caramels and chocolates wrapped up in cellophane and millions upon millions of other confections. But Sara spotted what she valued most of all. Ever since she was little. **_Candy corn._**

Meanwhile, Gil Grissom was at a large counter examining large slabs of fudge of all flavors and combinations. He was still unaware of Sara's presence...

Sara turned to Catherine who was still in awe herself, "Oh, my gosh. They have candy corn!"

Grissom turned around toward her startled. "Jim!" He shouted startling everyone this time.

The detective was once again, asleep against the wall sitting on a stool. "And to think, I trust this man with my life almost everyday." She jumped a little as he walked toward her.

Touching her arms with force he pushed her out of the shop by force. "Gris...Grissom what are you doing?" She was thrust outside. "You have to leave." Was all he said before slamming the door in her face. She was stunned. Catherine joined her. She turned toward Sara and swung her bag of candies. Warrick joined them. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "He totally digs you Sar." He stated firmly. Catherine swung her bag as she walked down the brick sidewalk to another shop. "Ya, at least that wasn't inconspicuous..."

All Sara could simply say as she watched the 'We're Open' sign swinging on the door was, "What the hell?"

Grissom wiped his face and collected his prize in a "Chocolate and Other Confections" bag. "You know, that isn't what I meant by inconspicuous, Grissom." Greg commented.

"Where they goin' now?" Grissom asked. Greg picked up a walkie-talkie, "Nicky, were are you and the gang going now?"

Grissom was not at all stunned that Greg and Nick had brought walkie talkies on the trip and was using them to find out Sara's current position.

Nick walked into the candy shop. "Grissom, can I have a moment with you?"

Grissom thanked the lady at the counter for the fudge and followed Nick outside. Greg was still buying some Hershey's Kisses when Grissom told him to meet him outside in a few minutes. And to drag Brass too. Nick led Grissom under a tree to a bench.

"We, need to talk." He stated firmly, taking a seat and making Grissom sit too.

"What is it Nicky?" He asked sounding annoyed.

"Why the hell did you just do that?"

"Do what?" Grissom's voice had gone up a few octaves now.

"You just blew off Sara like she was a worthless person."

"No, I did not!"

"Grissom, you just slammed the door in her face and made her leave a public shop, where she had the freedom to walk around wherever she wanted. Do you think she's worthless?"

Grissom's mouth was gaping open. "I did NOT blow her off! I wanted her to leave cause I...I..."

"You love her..." Nick trailed off.

Grissom stared on. Drooping his head, he opened a the bag. "Fudge?" He asked Nick.

"Uh- uh. Sorry, no. That's for your Secret Santa person."

Grissom tucked the bag away.

"Grissom, you're in love with her?"

He got up from the chair. "I'm going to find Sara." Grissom said. "No. No. You can't walk away from this Grissom. It's just goin' to keep on haunting you until you just can't bear it anymore."

Grissom was ignoring Nick now and walked up the road to where he saw Warrick disappear to. "I think they went in here." Grissom called.

"Holding off the inevitable again I see." Nick called to him. But Grissom didn't hear, he was already in the store.

When Grissom entered the shop, he discovered it to be covered in paintings. Paintings of all the mountain life you could think of. Warrick, Greg, and Catherine were bunched up together sitting on a couch sipping coffee, looking pooped. Sara, though, had her attention on a painting in the far back of the store. Grissom smiled at them as Nick joined the group on the couch. "Room for one more?" He asked before squeezing in on the couch between Greg and Catherine.

The wood creaked under Grissom's weight as he walked toward Sara. She was staring at a painting of a woman bathing in a spring. She was washing with only what the earth provided. Her beauty was noticeable. She had elegant blond hair that cascaded down her body and floated on top of the water. Beyond, among the trees, a man stood watching. His features were older. But handsome. He had thick, curly brown hair that hid most of his face. He looked at peace. The features of the setting were dark and mysterious.

Sara cocked her head as she studied the man. He resembled a certain someone. He sort of looked like...

"Peaceful. Beautiful." He made her jump with his voice.

"Pervert." She joked back, knowing that he wasn't admiring the painting, but the nude woman bathing.

"I'm not a pervert." He replied softly. She let out a small laugh. "I'm not. The sheer elegance of the colors is-

"You're looking at her breasts." She boldly said.

He sighed as she moved to the next painting. "What are you doing here? Don't you have more girls to buy fudge for and shoo out of a public store for no reason at all?"

There was silence as she inspected a painting of a woman standing to the left of the painting. The woman in the portrait resembled Sara. It was uncanny. Her body was wrapped in dark burgundy silk and her arm was held out before her as her body was turned toward the side. The man, across from her was also turned to the side. He oddly, resembled Gil Grissom. It was creepy. His finger was extended out just as the woman's was and between each of their extended fingers, was a brilliant butterfly, that was flying from her finger to his. The back round was decorated as a dark evergreen forest. Vines strung everywhere. The man wore nothing from what Grissom and Sara could see. Although the paintings went down to their waists.

"Now isn't that sweet." Grissom surprisingly said. "What?" Sara asked.

"She is showing him a romantic gesture. This is shown by the butterfly flying from her hand to his. And he, in turn, is accepting the gift of affection gratefully."

"Must be nice."

Grissom turned toward her. And as she turned to him. He noticed her eyes to be glassy.

"You're crying."

She used her right finger to wipe away an escaping tear from her right eyelid.

"No...I mean...Grissom I..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sara, honey, not now. Right now, isn't the time or the place."

Sara gazed at him stunned. What? Was he accepting her finally? Was this it? Was he throwing himself out there finally?

"I...I mean. I don't know if it will ever be the time but-

She held a slender finger to his lips. "Shhhhhhhh..." Her words caressed him dearly.

His lips were soft and silky.

Suddenly, the urge to kiss him never looked so bliss. Her words entered in a whisper and her voice made him shudder. "Don't ruin the moment Griss. I want this to happen...later."

At the moment, the whole CSI gang was staring at the pair, their mouths agape. A groggy Jim Brass entered the store. He stopped to stare.

Sara's lips were ever so close to his. But she was not intending to kiss him. Grissom although...

"I miss anything important?" Brass asked.

Sara and Grissom broke apart.

"Gosh, and they were just about to kiss to!" Nick complained.

"Show's over boys." said Grissom as he ushered everyone out the door. "What? No! No! I don't wanna leave!" Greg pleaded trying to get Sara and Grissom to kiss.

Everyone groaned.

"Greeeeeeeeaat! You know what I want for Christmas?" Catherine asked. "What is that?" Grissom asked. "For ya'll to kiss. On the lips!"

Tears fell from Sara's face as Grissom surprisingly wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Grissom was blushing from Catherine's comment when Catherine hooked arms with Warrick. "Kay boys! We all are goin' for some food now!"

"I'll catch up with you!" Grissom shouted toward them. But before they were out of sight, Catherine gave the teary eyed Sara a thumbs up and a wink.

Grissom apparently had his heart go out for Sara.

He took her not by the hand but by the wrist over to the creek under a tree.

"Sara. What I meant was, it's not right at the moment, for **_us..."_**

Sara shuddered at the word. Was there an us? Or had she imagined it?

He turned toward her and ever so gently placed both of his hands on her face.

God she was freezing. Her face was blushed red from the wind.

His lips only inches from hers. She could feel his breath pass over her lips.

"What I mean, honey, is...I'm still finding myself, where I belong. And if...dammit! If God intends us, if nature intends us to...be...together..." the words seemed almost painful to him.

"...then that's what will happen."

More tears fell down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. "There is a chance that...That I will find myself here. Because I'm starting to...to...develop these feelings..."

"Feelings?" Sara called out. Something freezing and wet hit her face.

"Yes, honey. I-

Something hit him that was cold too.

His blue pools penetrated hers. Oh, how she wanted him to kiss her. He looked upset.

"Please." She pleaded tears falling. The trees around them rustled.

"Please what?" He asked.

"Kiss me. Please!" Her head fell to his chest.

He became uncomfortable and pushed her off of him. "I can't. At least not yet." He told her without emotion.

"When? Whe- What the hell?" She shouted as more freezing droplets fell on her from the heavens above.

He threw his jacket over her. God he smelled so good. "Please. Give me more time." He shouted toward the sky.

They jumped in the Tahoe. A freezing rain began and didn't stop. Even after they hung up their coats in the restaranut named "Grandma's Barn." Sara was happy when the whole group sat together at a large table. Grissom, though, kept his distance from her. Was he applying even more space between them? Or was he just trying to analyze his feelings?

Catherine Willows eyed the both of them, knowing that nothing had happened between the two.

Raising her eyebrows she picked up a menu. "Time to order." She directed. And with that, without question, everyone picked up their menus.

Little did the rest of the team know, there was more romance going on besides just Grissom and Sara and Warrick and Catherine.

Greg was staring dreamily out the freezing downpour outside, his eyes glass and his features looking older. He seemed more mature. His thoughts were on a woman indeed. And everyone hinted this. He held a fist to his mouth. As his thoughts drifted to the woman in the forest. The woman that had fixed his wounds. She'd shown him affection and he wasn't accepting her advances. Was he becoming just as bad as Grissom and Sara?

But he soon came to the conclusion that there was something between he and that woman.

And that his feelings of fear, were fading into affection.

Do I love her? He thought. This question glided over his thoughts as the group ordered their drinks. Greg Sanders was finally a man.


	6. Peeping Grissom

**Chapter Eighteen: Peeping Grissom**

**Note: Yes! Another chapter! I am so happy. I'm struggling to see because I took my contacts out and I lost my glasses so, here it goes. I hope you are all enjoying my story. I am trying to post it up as fast as I write it. Lots of love my loyal reviewers. Thank you, o' so very much.**

**Ded. Note: Catherine, if you're reading this now, just know when I said about Grissom 'bending that way," I meant it as a joke. Chill, lady. Hope you keep reading even though you want Sara and Greg to get together. Ick.**

He sat by himself outside on the porch. He was in emotional tyranny at the moment. Everything was beginning to crash around him. And before Gil Grissom knew it, another day would be gone, another day, to find out where he belonged in life.

He was leaning against the column outside when Catherine burst through the front door. "What the hell did you do Grissom?" She bounded.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Gil, there is a woman upstairs crying her dear little heart out for you. What the hell did YOU do?"

Grissom's mouth was agape. But he soon closed it and sat down in a rocking chair. Catherine took the chair next to him. "I..." he trailed off, not finding the words that he so wanted to catch with his bare hands.

"You and I do need to talk." She whispered. He nodded.

"Can you at least show her SOME affection Gil?" She literally pleaded. He opened his mouth to respond but closed it soon after. "You need to figure out where you stand in this. You're losing her Gil. You really, are. That woman is upstairs crying because she is thinking that you are not in love with her, when all she wants is to be loved by you. She cries and cries, and every tear is breaking her apart. All she wants is some romance. Now, why don't you go up there and tell her that you love her?" She stopped and let out a ragged breath.

"Because, I'm not sure I love her." He confessed. She sighed. "Gil," She began. " I'm not telling you to go up there and make love to her. I'm telling you to show her some affection. Even if it's a teenie, tiny amount, you can see if you like it. If you both like the affection that you're showing each other, go with it. Take her on a walk. Kiss her. Hug her. Love her for God's sake Gil.

He seemed as if he'd been crying. Catherine's eyes watered and she rested a hand on Gil Grissom's shoulder. "Poor baby." She whispered.

"I'm alright." He said.

"Not YOU! Sara. I guess I should make her tea. She's laying up on her bed and she has the window opened."

Catherine collected herself and rubbed her shoulders as she started to walk into the house. "God, it's freezing out here." She rested her case and walked into the cozy, toasty house.

Grissom rubbed his shoulders as well and began a walk up above the house into Lily Oaks Wood. He heard a rustle nearby and with that he became hesitant. The shouts of something like, "Has anyone seen her?" Came from the house, but Grissom ignored them. He was much to busy playing a Christmas tune in his head...

He was amazed at the amount of tea roses that were hanging from the trees above. The temperature had to be in the mid thirties to the high twenties.

He was freezing now. "La La La...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Someone was humming. Grissom pushed back vines of roses until he came to a thick shrub.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..la...la..." This tune was soft and it played something familiar in Gil Grissom's head. What was that familiar tune...?

Water. He could hear it, and not to far away. Pushing back one last vine, he saw something that made his heart skip a beat...thump, thump, thump...thump, thump, thump...

There at the edge of a steaming pool, was Sara. She was dancing around the pool like a young child. She had to be delirious. No way would Sara ever go prancing around a pool of water. But she didn't seem to care that someone might be watching.

Despite the freezing temperatures, Sara Sidle did the unthinkable. It was her thick windbreaker first. She tore it off and placed it on a rock. Then her sweater, her gloves and shirt...HER SHIRT?

Grissom squinted trying to see if he was seeing right. He was correct. Down below by the pool of steaming water, Sara was stripped of everything but her pants, shoes and bra. After stripping of other parcels of clothing, she dipped her foot into the water and then dove in! Grissom was stunned.

_What am I doing? I'm watching my coworker, my NAKED coworker bathing in a pond...IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER! Need I say more?_

Grissom was preparing himself for a rescue mission when Sara's head emerged from the water. She gasped for breath, and didn't seem at all cold.

It must be a hot spring, he thought. Grissom jumped at the thunder that pounded his eardrums from above. It was storming.

Gil Grissom was scared at first, what would his coworker think? He was after all, barging in when she was bathing. Again.

A freezing rain pelted down on him without another thought.

"Sara!" He yelled running down the small hill toward her. She was already clambering out of the steam bath and struggling to put her clothes on when she scooped her up with one swift stroke. She was halfway dressed at the moment. They wouldn't have time for her to dress completely, because the freezing rain was slowly making them hypothermic...

When Grissom placed Sara in her bed, she was shivering like he'd never seen before. He body was blue and her lips were pale white. Catherine rushed to her side shooing Grissom out as she eased Sara's freezing body into some thick, warm, clothes.

When Catherine finished, Grissom was allowed in. Taking the moment, Catherine shut the door behind the two.

He sat beside her shivering body, running his hands through her hair. "Poor baby." He whispered. She turned toward him, not being able to control her shivering. "I...am...free...zing..." she said to him.

He replied with a single whisper,"Slide over..."


	7. Body Heat

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CSI! Ok. sigh If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfictions. I would be in a posh mansion, having tea and what not with the cast of CSI. William Petersen would be sitting to my left and Jorja Fox to my right. Then the rest of the gang in seperate chairs...we would be talking about how much Sara and Grissom need to be together and how we all are finally going to 'do something about it!'...I think I've proved my point.**

**Note: Laura Katherine, if you're reading this, I loved your story "Geek Jaunt" I read it all the time and it's just o' so cute. I advise everyone to read it. It is truly amazing. And thank you reviewers! If you have any questions I will be honored to answer them. **

**Oh, and the candy shop that they all went to, I actually went to that candy shop called the "Chocolate Factory" Now...I wonder what they got that from...**

**KISSES AND HUGS! (for Billy Petersen...he he he he)**

**p.s. This is a depressing chappie. Sorry. But it had to happen. Keep reading. Please. Do I sound desperate...ok. Ok. I'll stop rambling. Drum roll please...**

He slid her over and placed his warm thick body beside hers. She was, indeed freezing. "Honey, please, scoot in closer to me." What was he doing? He guided her into his arms, allowing her chest to meet his and her stomach to become closer to his torso. She slid her face in his neck and cuddled him. She was shivering still. He body was like ice. She cried in his arms. "Gil...don't let go of me. Don't. I'm so...cold."

"I know honey. I know."

"No, you don't. I want you next to me...like this...forever." She stopped to slide closer to him. They were so close now. Their bodies pressing against each other. She murmmered in his neck, her voice and eyelashes tickling his neck. The only thing that she wanted to say, was wrapped around her tongue and the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. "Gi...Gil?" She called out. "Yes, Sara?"

"I...wanted to say..." She thought on it for a moment. "I wanted to say, can you...hold me closer?" This time, he wrapped his arms around her freezing frame.

"Sara. Hold on to me." He pleaded. "I want to Gil. I do. I really do. Will you accept me?"  
"I'm not sure."

"You're not sure. Gil, I...need to tell you something but I don't know if it will sound right." He nuzzled her. "It's ok. It doesn't matter now. Sara, all that matters is that you regain your body heat."

She shivered and met his eyes. "I'm getting some of yours." She whispered. "Kiss me." She pleaded without warning. "Sara. Not yet." And his chin was taken by her icy hand. "Gil Grissom, I'm in love with you." And after those words, she had her lips meet his. SHE WAS KISSING HIM!

Sara wanted to believe that she was awake, but she couldn't. And that made everything better.

Her lips were cool and were becoming warmer and warmer by the second. Her lips were silky against his. "Do you love me?" She asked their mouths parting.

The silence that followed was harsh and punishing. A silvery lone tear fell down his cheek. "N...nn..." He trailed off again. She broke down crying.

"N...NO!" He confirmed. "Sara. I don't love you. Not the way you need to be loved."

"So, you're laying in the same bed with me because you feel...sorry for me?" He voice was shattered by sobs. Grissom got up off the bed and tucked her in. Tucking in the covers around her frame. Letting his hands slide underneath her.

"N...nnnnnnnn NO!" I love you Gris. Don't leave me!" She pleaded. He silently began his exit. "Gri...GRISSOM!" Her voice was hoarse and crackling. "Gil Grissom, I"m MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU!" She shouted standing out of bed. He walked out the door and she stood up on weak legs. Her body weight, what little there was, weighed her tired body down. She collapsed onto the floor with a loud, BANG! "Gri...Gris...Don't leave me...I...I love you. I love you! Come back...come..back...come..." Her voice was gone and she could only speak in a whisper. She was laying on the floor extending a hand to him. Even though he was gone. "Come back...come...come back Grissom...Gris...Griss..."

She collapsed on the floor in an unconcious heap. Tears falling down her face. Nick, Warrick, and Catherine burst into the room toward her. "SARA!" They bellowed.

But she couldn't hear him. Not at all. Everything was gone that was so dear to her.

It had been her mother's freedom at first, the love of a dysfunctional family, and most of all, the love, of her life. It was all gone.


	8. Love Was When I Loved You

**Chapter Twenty-One: Love Was When I Loved You**

The next couple days, Grissom and Sara did not speak to each other. Grissom was alway depressed and when no one was looking, he was crying. Sara had meant to say something. But her fury might have gotten the best of her. All she wanted was to kiss him and hold him to her. Where they could kiss and be in love. Forever.

But that wasn't going to happen. Ever.

Grissom sat on his bed, staring out at the thunderstorm outside. The freezing rain had begun again. There was a creak behind him as the door opened. He did not stir. Just sat on his bed in a daze. Sara had a thick blanket around her. She carried a heavy aura. She was sick with a cold. She crawled up onto the bed beside him. Sitting there. Staring at him. He was so handsome. His blue orbs driving her crazy. The very scent of tea roses still on him enough to make her go wild. Although, she remained composed. Her body weak and sick. She slid closer to him.

Ever so gently, she laid her head on his lap. He didn't budge. He rested her hand on his thigh. She took one limp hand from his side and draped it over her head. He didn't move. She burrowed her head in his lap. Tears streaming.

At first he didn't know what the warm liquid sensation was on his leg. But soon found it to be her tears. He didn't look up, down, or all around. Just out the window.

"...and spaces between us. You have come to show you...go on. Near, far, where ever you are. I believe that the heart goes on...Once more, you open the door..." She trailed off. Singing the Celine Dion song. "...Love can touch us one time, and last for a lifetime..." She wept and wept. "Love me." She said.

Standing up on weak legs she turned toward him. She placed both hands on his knees. Staring into his eyes, she did not find the light. It was gone."

"Grissom. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH. PLEASE. PLEASE HEAR ME!" She curled a fist and with one stroke, she punched the side of his face. Blood ran down his mouth. She tried to swing again, but he caught her wrist. Pulling her to him, he wiped away the blood and kissed her.

His lips were soft against hers. Eyes closed, they kissed. There. In his bedroom, on his bed, they kissed. Just her. Just him. They were kissing.

He ran his fingers through her hair.

When they stopped both of their hearts were racing. "Did...you...feel anything?" She asked. He sighed and stared into his eyes. "No. I wanted so much to feel something. But...I...don't. I'm sorry Sara. I love you as only a friend. I have no passionate love for you. No matter how hard I try to find it. I cannot love you."

Sara didn't cry. She didn't sob, or anything. She just stared deeply into his eyes.

For Sara Sidle knew, Gil Grissom was INDEED in love with her. He just couldn't put into words. He just COULDN'T love her. Because of his job, his professionalism, or something. He just couldn't But Sara stared into his blue orbs. He melted as she kissed him once more. They were on their knees, standing on his bed.

"I love you Gil Grissom." She said pulling away from his lips. Then there it was. Only for a split second. She'd seen it. There, in his dark, swirling orbs, she'd seen the spark of life that he had. The only thing he wanted was there. She wanted to grasp it. "Stop kissing me." He commanded. But she ignored him. "One more, so I can remember what your lips feel like." She said. Kissing him again, she took in everything. Savoring every part of it. When she finally pulled away, he helped her off the bed.

"You...you should..."

She kissed his cheek.

"I saw it Grissom. I saw you. I saw what you wanted. And I think I know what to do."

She left him hanging.

With a slight twinge of a smile, she thought to herself, _He's figuring it out. He's finding what he means._


	9. Near, Far, Wherever You Are

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Near, Far, Wherever You Are...**

Sara didn't cry. At all. Besides all that was happening, she was enjoying herself. Everything was becoming so much more cheerful now that it was almost Christmas. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve and everything for a Christmas party was being planned out...secretly. From Sara and Grissom.

The only thing Sara wanted in her life at the moment was some peace. She didn't care what happened to her anymore. She wanted to be enjoying herself. There was more things to worry about than being in love with Gil Grissom. But she didn't want to forget on the other side. She wanted him to love her more than anything.

Sara began trapizing down the road. Through the dark woods and out onto a winding road that twisted and turned up the mountain.

The weather was so chilly now that most of the small ponds and springs were frozen solid. It hadn't snowed. Sara had prayed that it would. But God hadn't answered her prayers for Grissom to return her love, so why should snow be any different. She walked in a romantic way. It was almost dancing, except she would stop once in a while to walk like a normal person. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her body. God it was freezing.

"Wait up!" She heard from behind her. Turning around she saw an elderly woman running up to her. _' Who the hell is that?'. _She thought. Even though she didn't know the woman, she waited up for her. This woman was hunched over and wore nothing but a black dress and a black beret. Sara wondered how on earth the woman wasn't even slightly cold. Her face sagged from to many wrinkles and walked fast with small paced steps.

"Dear! Please wait!"

Sara didn't move.

"Dear me, I wasn't sure you heard me at first." The woman's voice was squeaky, almost childish.

"You see, I've been calling your for almost an hour. You must have trouble hearing." They walked together and Sara listened as the woman spoke. "Something must be troubling you my dear. You are sullen. Thoughts on something. Someone?" The woman looked up at Sara.Sara looked back at the woman.

"Oh! You must think I'm some sort of a nut, coming out here to talk to a total stranger. I guess, there's something about you that I like." Sara smiled and the woman smiled back her icy blue crystal orbs gleaming at Sara's...

"It's...odd, yes...but yes. I am thinking about something...er...someone."

"Who may I ask?"

"A...friend." She replied.

"You know, when I was a young girl, there was this man that recited Shakespeare to me every night before I went to bed. He would crawl through my window, I'd always leave it opened. Even on winter nights. His name was Jackson. He would crawl through my window and recite Shakespeare to me. He's dead now. My late husband, but he always found someway to make me feel wonderful."

Sara smirked.

"You mind if I take you somewhere?" The woman asked, her eyes gleaming.

"I have nothing to do, sure." Sara complied.

The walked for another twenty minutes, winding up the mountain until they reached the foot of a hill. The grass was overgrown and thick with weeds and poison oak. "You see," the woman began stopping. "When I was a little girl, I lived up here. It is old and rickety now, but you should have seen it 86 years ago. It was...home."

Sara smiled without exposing her teeth. She didn't know why she had followed this woman. It was almost as if her soul was guiding her.

"Now, I much to, much to old to climb this damn mountain, but you could climb it for me." Sara turned to the elderly woman, knowing that she was going to decline.

But this woman sensed this and added, "I've lost something up there. It's my old Shakespearen Quotes book that I treasured and was so dear to me when Jackson lived. I can't climb this, can you please retrieve it for me? I would pay in return for your troubles, a token of my gratitude would be in order."

Sara considered this for a moment. "O...Ok. But a key-" The woman wove a hand in front of Sara. "You'll find it my dear. You've had it all along."

Sara felt groggy and was a little depressed that she hadn't declined to doing this. She climbed the hill and kept looking down until the woman was hidden by the thick shrubbery. She slipped a few times, almost falling backwards. It was if she was being pushed up the mountain by an unseen force.

When Sara neared the peak of the hill, she saw a collapsing shed that looked as if it once held timber. Up ahead, was the house. It was white with dark fading green trim and a dark evergreen tin roof. The fireplace was old and made of brick. Sara waded through the brush until she came to crumbling concrete stairs that shuddered under her feet. The windows were screened, not glassed, and the keyhole looked like it was old and worn, fitting an old fashioned iron key. She didn't know what the woman had meant by 'having the key all this time' or whatever. The cold surrounded her and she felt slightly creeped out. After all, this place DID look haunted.

She dug her freezing fingers into her pocket. She winced when they collided with a cold, metallic object in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw she had the key.

Grissom shined the flashlight around the room. The air was thick and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something about this house was creeping him out.

_Find the damn book, get out. Find the damn, stinkin' book and GET OUT! _He kept telling himself this. Why should he do some dirty work for some man who had left his damn Shakespearean Quotes book in this ancient house. Grissom sighed and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

There was a creak as something from the front of the house creaked.

He didn't know why he was scared but he was, and he jumped alongside a nightstand between it and the bed. His breaths were ragged and sweat began pouring down his face, droplets stinging his eyes. Sara would have found this sexy...

The floorboards creaked in the front of the ancient house. He held his breath as the someone/something walked into the room. He couldn't see, he had flicked off his flashlight.Next to him on the nightstand, he saw it, the book...

He would grab the book and flee for his life. That's what he would do. It would be simple. After gathering up courage, he rested his hand on the book, only to find ice cold skin beneath his palm. The someone shreiked. Flicking on his flashlight he realized who the shrieking figure was. Sara.

"God, you asshole! You scared the crap outta me!" She shouted. She clutched her chest and for a moment, Grissom blushed. Thank God she couldn't see.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He trying to lower the mood. Something about this house made him want to keep his voice down. As if it might disturb...someone.

"I'm getting a book."

"Really?"

"Yes. And now that I'm on adrenaline autopilot, I think I'm going to go."

"Wait!" She grabbed his hand as he tried to exit.

"What?"

"You're getting a book? Me too! Was it from an elderly woman?"

Grissom shook his head. "No. For an elderly man I met walking up this road. He wanted me to get this Shakespearean Quotes book."

"Funny." Sara began, subconciously holding both of Grissom's wrists at his side.

"I met this elderly woman, didn't catch her name, but she asked me to come up to this house and get the same book. Said a guy named Jackson read it to her when she was young and in love."

Grissom's eyes widened.

"Same thing. C'ept this guy's name WAS Jackson."

Goosebumps arose on Sara's skin and she shivered. "Scary. This woman said that Jackson was dead."

"No, what's scary was that Jackson said that his lover, Caroline, had tried to cross a raging river to him and was swept away. Drowned. Found her body a year later."

Now, goosebumps had risen on both of their bodies. "You think..." Sara began, tears of fear welling in her eyes.

She let go of his wrists, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Oh, God, we need to get out of here-"

Just then, the door to the front of the house squeaked open.

Instinctively, Sara jumped on Grissom. He lost his balance for a brief second, but appreciated he warmness and her arms around his neck, her breath was ragged and she looked panicked. He found this attractive.

But he flashed back and took her by the hand and they jumped up on the bed together. "Oh, my God, what is it?" The footsteps came in a pair and the door to the bedroom they resided in opened by itself. "Ohmygod, ohmygod, Grissom!" She clung to him with all her might. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her face burrowed into his shoulder.

Grissom blinked and wished he hadn't. In front of him stood the elderly woman and the elderly man. The woman looked exactly as what the elderly man had described, except her goregous features had faded because of age. He tried to pry Sara's head up to watch. But she only responded by balling up his jacket in her fist with her face in his shoulder. "Make it go away Grissom. Make it go!" But he watched them. The couple, with transparent bodies.

"Caroline?" The man called.

"Jackson!" The fell into eachother's embrace. "God, how I missed you Caroline! I missed you so dearly!" He said.

"I missed you too Jackson! I should have never thought that our love would have never survived, if I hadn't crossed that river-"

Jackson held a transparent finger to her transparent lips.

"Don't speak Caroline, we have done enough of that. If only I could feel you again...If only I could...I don't know what I'd do. Only that I wish we hadn't ended our relationship."

The woman flashed her eyes at Sara. Sara, in turn, came out from Grissom's shoulder and glanced back at the woman. The woman smiled and turned back to Jackson.

The two came close to kiss, but as they did, their age melted away until they were young, in possibly their twenties. Caroline's hair was long, blond and flowing down her back. Jackson's hair was thick, curly, dirty blond and he wore a gray shirt and wom pants with red suspenders. Caroline, a flowery dress.

Grissom and Sara were in awe, and the couple's lips met. Sara only wished Grissom and Sara could share something that intimate...

In another blink, they were gone and Sara and Grissom were left alone. Together. Sara buried her head back into Grissom's coat. "It's gone. They're gone, my sweet..."

He stopped himself. He'd said to much and now it was to late.

"Oh, Grissom, I'm so sorry what have I done?" She cried as he helped her off the bed and out of the house.

"What have YOU done? Nothing at all." He said as she fell into his arms. "Yes, I have. I broke us apart and if we continue this charade, we'll end up just like Caroline and Jackson!" She pushed away from Grissom and walked down the crumbling stairs until she lost her footing and fell down the rest of the way. Grissom quickly aided her and tried to help her up but she winced in pain. "My...my wrist! My wrist! I fell on my wrist, I think it's broken!" She shouted. He inspected her wrist. It was swollen and red.

"Yes. You might be right. We should leave and get you checked out."

She stumbled and fell to the ground again. He got in behind her, but just as she did so she fell backwards onto him. "Wh..Whoa!" He said. She had fallen firmly onto his body. She blushed as she thought the felt...something...but quickly saw it to be his belt. She turned back to come face to face with him. Only inches...inches to his lips. Sara wanted to feel his lips on hers. His mouth. God, she wanted it, but quickly saw what fate would leave her with.

"S...Sara..." He said.

"Yes?" She replied.

But he propped her up and began his descent down the hill. She followed. The two began walking back down toward the house. Not continuing their charming conversation of a spiritual experience or his 'belt'...Sara pondered this as she cradled her wrist, _Was that his belt?_


	10. Behind the Garden Gate

**Chapter Twenty Three: Christmas Eve Day**

Sara was dancing in her room, a bandaged wrist waving in the air, free.

"Have yourself a merry little Chirstmas... Let your heart be light, from now on, our trouble will be out of sight...Have yourself a merry little Christmas...from now on our trouble will be miles away..."

She sang and Grissom sat against the wall opposite of her bedroom, listening.

He'd finally come to terms inside that yes, he was attracted to her. For all the while listening to her sing, he wanted to run into her room, wrap her in his arms and kiss her without ever thinking of his career again. But the thought of falling in love with his coworker and that being a big no no, still reeled around in his mind.

The leaves from the trees had vanished and the house was falling into a heavy scent of apples and spices. Brass had downed at least four gallons of Coca-Cola, coffee, and a shot of whiskey. His eyes were wide open and he knew that he wasn't going to fall asleep.

"Christmas is here! It's here! It's here!" Nick rang out from the family room.

"Nick, it's Christmas Eve, chill out!" Warrick scolded.

Catherine took Warrick into her arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ya know, I don't know if you are going to get any presents, you've been a bad boy this year."

Warrick smiled and rubbed her nose with his. "Just around you my dear." He teased. They kissed there, in the family room as Nick pretended to gag and Greg walked briskly into the room.

"God, you guys are gross! Can't you keep it PG in here?" There was a hint of frustration in his tone.

"What's the matter with you?"

"Ya, you could use some holiday lovin!" Catherine said.

At that moment, Sara came down the stairs dressed in a dress the color of a soft yellow. Small flowers littered the dress in darker yellows and soft pinks, her wrist wrapped up. She was humming and singing without a care in the world and everyone watched as she danced around Greg and gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek. He wiped it off and watched her as she charaded out the front door.

Grissom came down the stairs. He was lethargic, he hadn't recieved much sleep last night from traipizing around the mountain with Sara.

"What's up doc?" Nick teased.

"Ya, Sara seemed in a cheerful mood this morning...what on earth did you do?" Catherine asked.

"Nothing." He replied. And he sauntered out the door following her. Greg seemed frustrated and bounded out the back door into the woods.

He watched her playfully. Not revealing his postion from behind a garden gate. His presense was not felt by her and for this he was elated. She walked in long, flowing steps that seemed to have a rythm down deep in her soul. When she disappeared behind a large flowering bush, he followed. His soul leading him to her.

She began twirling. Twirling faster and faster, humming a perfect tune in harmony of her steps, with one hand waving free in the gentle breeze. A breeze that held a soft, gentle promise in the air for tomorrow...

Her hair was in wispy, light ringlets. And he admired the way they flowed in the chilling breeze. Her dress twirled in the wind and with her eyes closed she twirled around and around until she fell with a light boom. Grissom remained hidden, but transfixed on her beauty. For it was a dazzling sight that caught his eyes and made him forget about his career.

She laid herself onto the soft grass and placed a slender hand by her temple. Gazing at the sky, trying to get her equalibrium back.

The sky swirled above her, grays and whites. Grissom wanted a closer view. For this shyness of standing behind a garden gate was to much for him and his patience was running low. He wanted not to scare her, but to sneak upon her in a fashion that he was not well equipped for.

_Crack._

Her gaze drifted upon his postion and then back to the sky, not caring. His position revealed and no other reason for hiding, he walked out toward her. They were in the heart of the garden know. As he inspected his surroundings all the while of walking to her, he noticed that they had a considerable amount of privacy.

Playfully, and so un-Grissom like, he jumped down next to her, tucked his hands behind his head and stared softly at her.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered upon her ear. She smiled and continued her gaze heavenward. Then when she finally turned upon him, she met his eyes and was instantly hypnotized in their beauty.

The dark blue swirling waters of his eyes made her weak, as if she was standing on water herself. She spotted his lips and wanted so desperately to feel his under her own. What would it hurt?

But she couldn't do it. It had to be his move first.

His finger caressed her cheekbone and fell to her collarbone. He could feel her pulse racing. His finger turned into in hand and it cupped her face gently. He shifted onto his side and kissed her ever so sweetly. Not open mouthed but just a soft kiss on the lips that could have been misjudged for an angel's whisper upon her lips. Grissom wondered how she couldn't be cold in that dress, but when he shifted on top of her, there was no doubt in his mind that she would be warm now.

They continued to kiss. Not revelling past the expense of being seen.

With one hand holding most of his weight up from crushing her, and the other to caress her face, he continued to kiss her. There. In the garden. Just her and him.

Alone.

The light was sifting through the trees. Illuminating the ground and the couple in little glowing orbs. When they finally pulled away, Grissom caressed her chin softly and whispered by her ear. "I'm sorry."


End file.
